#hello prudence would like TO GO HOME NOW PLEASE

[ahollowgrave]

-- merry starlight !!

[jeonginsleftcheek]

Dolly III

~ part 3 of the Dolly series

pairing: lee felix x afab!reader

genre: smut, fluff, elements of horror

synopsis: as a rare doll collector, a unique sex doll piques your interest and you have to own it.

wc: 8.2k

warnings: mentions of bruises, blood and needles, some violence, haunted dolls

nsfw warnings: grinding, praise, lots of kissing, body worship, handjob, cum tasting, oral (m and f), unprotected sex, creampie

~ divider by @bunnysrph

"Good morning, Matilda. Prudence, how do you do? Ah, Mr. Avery. Looking particularly swell today." the dolls stare at you with their big eyes and smiling faces while you greet them just like every day.

Whistling about the kitchen as you prepare breakfast, your life companions are always there to listen to you and bring you comfort.

"You know, we have an exciting new family member arriving to us today. I'm expecting all of you to act polite and give him a warm welcome to his new home." you point your spatula at the dolls that were decorating the kitchen.

"I mean all of you!" you yell out, chuckling after.

"We all know what happens to naughty dolls. You don't want to experience the same scorching punishment they did." you smirk at them and though they are usually silent, it seems like they're even more quiet now.

Alive in your mind, they've heard you and are now shivering in fear but anticipating the arrival of the newest addition to your precious collection.

You really do expect them to be on their best behavior.

Not long after breakfast, your package arrives.

You practically rip open the huge box and tear off all the covers and bubble wrap, throwing them carelessly behind you.

"Oh!" you gasp.

"My my, you're just such a beauty, aren't you?" you smile at the doll staring at you from the box.

"You look like a little angel." your hands cup his cheeks.

"So soft. So sweet. You're going to be perfect for us." you look at him fondly. "Welcome home, Felix."

You lean down to kiss his cute nose, observing the freckles on his face.

He is just stunning, every little crease on him looks perfect and most importantly; he looks alive.

Yes, people might be creeped out by your love of dolls, collecting them, playing with them and hanging out with them but you never cared.

They were everything to you ever since you were a little girl so you spent so much money on getting the most rare and unique dolls you could, even getting a few ones that were supposedly haunted.

The thought of that exhilirated you, and you were convinced all of them were alive especially after you'd find them in different places or hear them giggle and whisper.

You loved that, respected the dolls and their needs but you always let them know that you were the head of the house.

It was going to be the same with this special doll.

As soon as you saw the ad, you wished you could buy all eight of them and have the rarest and craziest collection ever but they were so expensive so you settled on getting only Felix.

He just seemed so sweet and innocent to you, out of all 8 of them, you thought he looked the most doll-like and would go perfectly with your porcelain doll collection; just one of many you had.

You didn't care much that he was a sex doll, but seeing him now up close made you understand the appeal for that too.

You grabbed the manual to skim over it, not really caring about what it says, you were more interested in the letter that was in Felix's hand.

You slowly picked it up and opened it.

Hello,

my name is Felix and I am your comforting doll.

I love cuddles, hugs and kisses, sweets (especially chocolate). And videogames!

Please always keep me close to you as I love to feel your warmth, and no matter what you do with me always end it with a sweet kiss.

"You're a little cuddlebug, hm?" you pout at him. "You're just becoming cuter by the second!"

Finding another paper tucked in the pocket of his jeans, you pull it out and open it too.

My darling!

I'm ready for our first cuddling session!

I hope you bring fluffy pillows and enjoy our first night together.

"Ah! So adorable!" you squeal. "Let me introduce you to everyone." you add, quickly grabbing him and lifting him up.

"Fam, this is Felix, a very special doll. I expect you give him a warm welcome and help him feel at ease here. This is now his home as much as it is yours and I will not tolerate any sour behavior!" you say.

Of course, it's quiet but you know that they've understood you.

One of the ventriloquist dolls lips open and you chuckle.

"Yes, Parker. I know he's pretty. Now close your mouth or you'll catch flies." you chuckle, standing up and making your way to the doll.

With your fingers on its chin, you gently close the wooden doll's mouth.

"Now, where were we? Ah, yes! That outfit is atrocious. But don't worry, sweet Felix. I already prepared clothes that I know will fit your pretty face perfectly." you smirk, hoisting Felix in your arms and lifting him up.

Once you make it to your bedroom, you gently lay him down on your fluffy bed and open your wardrobe, looking at the neatly hung up outfits you had ordered online right after ordering Felix.

The dolls on the shelves all stare at him as you whistle a tune, picking out his outfit.

"This should do it." you grab one of them and make your way towards your bed.

"Let's get you out of this... whatever it is." you grip the hem of his shirt, slowly lifting it up and gasping when you notice his abs.

"Interesting." you poke his stomach and then his side. "I bet you're ticklish." you add, sliding his arms out of the shirt and tossing it aside.

"Oh!" you gasp again, noticing a few freckles on his chest. "You're so precious, Felix." your finger traces his beauty marks gently, almost making you hypnotized.

You snap out of it and unbutton his jeans, pulling the zipper down and feeling your face flush when you realize your touch had aroused the doll.

"Did you get excited, precious dolly?" you giggle at him, before looking around at the other dolls who were fixated on Felix.

"It is rude to stare." you chastise them, but they continue looking as you slide his pants down and toss them on the floor.

"I think you need help with this, Lixie." you chew on your lip as you hook your fingers in his boxers.

As soon as you slide them down, a wave of embarassment washes over you as you stare at his hard cock, glistening at the tip.

It seems that there are a few freckles on his length too and your thighs press together involuntarily.

It's been a while since you've been with someone, most people you tried to date couldn't understand your obsession with dolls and there was no way you were going to choose them over your doll family.

But, seeing that Felix was a doll and a sex doll at that, you didn't see harm in using him for what he's made for.

"We can help each other, but you can forget about putting that inside me." you warn, lifting your dress up and pushing your panties down.

"This will have to suffice, my little Lixie." you giggle as you throw your leg over him and press your wet core against his cock.

Slowly, you start grinding against him, your arousal coating his cock and balls, little whimpers leaving your mouth as you close your eyes and throw your head back.

It really has been so long, and Felix is so warm and pliant, laying under you taking it.

You speed up as you feel your high building up, you look back down at him and notice that his cheeks are rosy, making him look even cuter.

You whimper as you stare at his pretty face, his tip catching onto your clit a few times and almost slipping inside.

"Don't be naughty, Lixie. Or I'll have to punish you." you whine as his cock catches on your entrance, the tip twitching inside you.

It's as if something flashes in his eyes and you whimper loudly, cumming all over his cock and riding your high against his throbbing erection.

"You didn't cum yet?" you pout, remembering there was something about that in the manual.

"Ah, yes, you like having your hair pulled on." you smirk and continue grinding against him, your fingers now tangled in his hair.

"Cum for me, my angel." you pull on his hair and his cock twitches against your wetness before he explodes on his abs, the warm liquid pooling around his belly button and making you more wet as you grind on him once again, his cum smeared on your cunt.

You look at him as you stop your movements, your heart beating fast.

"Look what a mess we made, Lixie." you shake your head before getting up and heading to the bathroom, the dolls chilling in your room still with their eyes fixed on Felix.

You come back after cleaning yourself up to clean him too, so you can dress him in the clothes you bought him.

It's a bit of a struggle but you get a feeling that Felix really wants to cooperate.

"There, now you look like a real angel." you smile as you lean back, satisfied with the white loose pants and the white shirt, embroidered with golden flowers.

"I have some work to do on you yet." you sit him up and then grab some of your makeup.

You gently work on his face, putting some light gold eyeshadow on his eyelids, a few sparkles under his eyes and he seems to be pouting.

"You think I forgot to give you a sweet kiss, don't you?" you smirk. "I didn't, don't worry."

You finish up on his eye makeup then grab a pink lipstick, opening it up and applying it on your lips first.

"A finishing touch." you lean in, holding his face before you press your lips into his heart shaped ones, kissing him gently.

You giggle as you lean away, removing the smeared lipstick and repairing what stayed on his lips with your finger as he practically stares at you.

His eyes seem shiny and warm, something deep and dark inside them too and you can't look away.

"My sweet Lixie. So good for me." you kiss his nose and then his cheeks, making sure to kiss his pretty freckles.

You almost get completely lost in him, forgetting about the dolls watching you until one of them falls down onto the floor with a loud thud, making you jerk away from Felix.

"Jonathan! You startled me!" you reprimand the wooden doll before standing up and coming to it.

You take him in your arms and look at him.

"Are you jealous?" you ask as you gently put him back in his place, fixing his shirt and hat.

"Don't worry, I love you all equally." you pat the doll's head before turning to look at Felix.

You have a feeling that might change soon.

-

You take Felix to your workshop, a small room where you dedicate your time to repair dolls, sew their torn clothes or make them new outfits, sometimes even making a few dolls of your own.

"Welcome to my workshop, Lixie. I spend lots of time here so I guess you will too. Now, I should've started with this, but you... distracted me." your eyes fall down to his crotch before you look up at him.

"I will make sure you have everything you need and I will always treat you well, but of course I expect that to be reciprocated. Which means you are to behave well in this house, listen to what I say and be good to your brothers and sisters. If you ever do something to break the rules, there will be repercussions. And trust me, you don't want to get on my bad side." you wave your finger at the doll and it seems like he's listening intently, his eyes seemingly fearful as you sit across from him, making eye contact.

"Don't be scared, Lixie. I have a feeling that you're a good boy and that you'll be obedient. We will have no problems, you and I. I'll even reward your good behavior." you smirk at him, caressing his soft cheeks.

You lean in to press a kiss on his lips before you turn to your table and start working on your broken dolls.

Felix stares at you from where you left him, his hands tucked in his lap and eyes fixed on your hunched frame.

You almost forget about his presence as you concentrate on your work, every detail you sew into their clothes, the love you pour into them, in a way giving them a soul of their own.

Your hands seemed to dance as you kept working, until you felt a sharp pain in your neck.

"Ow!" you mutter and sit up, realizing you've been hunched over for too long, your shoulders tense, pain throbbing in your neck. "Time for a break." you announce, your stomach growling after that.

"And food, I guess." you turn to Felix, finally acknowledging his existence.

He looks to you like he wants to say something, even though he is sitting still.

"What is it, Lixie?" you lean in closer, looking right into his eyes.

He stays silent.

"Ah, you're shy. You'll come around. I'll wait for you to show yourself to me." you smirk, kissing his nose, your fingertips tracing the pretty freckles on his face.

After giving him a little kiss, you take him to your garden, which was thankfully surrounded by a tall wooden fence, hiding you away from the rest of the world.

"Sit here and I'll be right back." you sit him down on one of the fancy chairs, brushing away the hair that fell into his face.

You bring a few of your other dolls, sitting them down on the other chairs, bringing all of them a set of china; plates, cups and everything.

It's all themed with pink flowers, making everything look even more proper and fancy.

"Socialize." you wave your hand before disappearing into the kitchen, preparing a quick lunch for yourself.

You walk out into the garden some 15 minutes later with a plate of food for yourself and a glass of juice.

"I hope you're being nice to Felix." you say as you sit down, eyeing the four dolls sitting around the table, Felix being exactly across from you.

He looks a tad timid, and you're 100% sure that the expressions on his face keep changing, you know you're not just imagining it because other dolls you own have changed expressions or positions, some even giggled and whispered.

With your doll experience, Felix doesn't scare you, quite the opposite, you're waiting for him to start talking.

You make small talk with your dolls, about this beautiful day, how sunny and warm it is, how good lunch turned out.

As you continued talking, suddenly one of the cups started shaking and you look at the porcelain doll sitting next to Felix.

"Jenevieve. Don't do that! Behave." you warn but it's too late, the cup flies right into Felix's side, hitting him hard before crashing onto the floor, pieces of it flying everywhere.

Anger bubbles up in your veins as you take a deep breath in.

"You little bitch." you almost growl at the porcelain doll before standing up abruptly and grabbing a fistful of her hair.

"That's it, you're getting punished!" you seethe, walking back into the house as you carry her by her hair all the way down to the basement.

"You're gonna think long and hard about your behavior. And after you do, you will apologize to Felix. Like it or not he is family now." you say before laying the doll in a box and locking it.

"I know you're claustrophobic. So this will be a nice lesson for you never to misbehave again." you smirk before making your way back upstairs.

You quickly run to Felix, gasping when you notice a single tear running down his cheek.

"I'm sorry, angel." you wipe it away quickly, kissing his cheek after.

"Let's see the damage." you undo his shirt and sure enough there is a bruise forming on his side.

"For this, Jenevieve will get a week in the dungeon." you say angrily, your fingertips brushing against the bruise. "I'll take care of you, sweet Lixie. I promise that'll never happen again."

-

The same evening, you brought Felix to your bed, stripping him out of the shirt so you could take care of his bruise.

You flip through the manual seeing the warning about not bruising the doll and anxiety washes over you, hoping he wasn't now damaged in some irreparable way.

You rummage through your bathroom cabinet, finding a cream that was used for bruises, skipping back to Felix.

"Well, you're warm, you can blush, bruise and cry. And... cum." you giggle quietly. "So I guess this would help you?" you purse your lips before taking some cream out and gently applying it on his bruise.

"There-" you pause, seeing a bulge growing in his pants. "Really? You're so sensitive." you tsked, your hands on his thighs, gripping the flesh shortly.

You look at Felix's face and melt.

He's blushing again, his cheeks rosy followed by the tips of his ears becoming red.

"You're such a cutie." you coo at him. "But you're gonna have to wait a bit. I have to take off your make up and brush your hair. I want you to be all comfy in bed." you nod to yourself, getting up to retrieve makeup wipes and a brush.

You start gently removing his makeup, leaving little kisses on his cheeks and nose, pressing your lips into his plush ones.

After cleaning him up, you take the brush and sit him up more comfortably so you can start brushing his hair.

"Oh you really like this." your eyes widen as you notice him twitching in his pants. "Like your hair played with, my pretty angel?" you twirl a strand of his soft hair between your fingers.

"Give me three minutes." you hurry to your bathroom to get ready for bed before skipping back to Felix excitedly.

"I'm here sweetie." you grab his face and crash your lips against his.

The way he was made, his lips seemed to be kissing back, so soft and sweet against yours.

You kissed him for some time, already addicted to his taste before you started leaving kisses on his jaw, all the way to his ear.

He only seemed to become even more red, the color seeping onto his neck and chest.

"My shy Lixie." you giggle, leaving kisses on the column of his neck.

He feels so soft and smells so sweet, making you want to do this forever, just kiss him everywhere as he lays and takes it.

You liked being in control, it made you feel powerful as your hands roamed all over his body, his skin so soft like a baby's, you couldn't stop touching him.

Your lips covered every inch of Felix as you kissed his chest, his arms, his stomach, his hands.

Taking your sweet time to worship him.

You slid his pants off, getting up to put them on the chair where you've already left the shirt.

Felix was blushing profusely and he was very warm as you touched him, his cock throbbing, the tip red and angry, glistening with his wetness.

"You're working yourself up, dolly. You need to calm down a little or I won't give you what you want." you smirk, sliding your hands on his supple thighs, up to his balls where you lightly grazed them with your fingertips.

His cock twitched in protest, his face even redder now.

"If you act naughty, I'll leave you like this all night. Don't test me, my little prince."

Felix's lips seemed pouty at that and you waited a little, only gently caressing his smooth arms, the redness of his face and body subsiding slowly until only his cheeks were rosy like before.

"Good boy." his cock leaked and twitched at the praise.

"Ah, my dolly likes to be praised?" you giggled delightfully, smoothing out his hair.

"I'll keep that in my mind." you winked at him, fingertips grazing against his length before you finally wrapped your hand around him.

"Good boys get rewards." you coo at him, thumbing at his wet slit.

Felix's ears become red again.

"I'll take care of you, sweetie. Don't worry." you whisper as you lean down, leaving kisses all over his skin as you start moving your hand.

You play with him for as long as you want to, torturing his cock as you alternate between fast and slow movements, at times using only one hand and then both or fondling his balls, your lips never leaving his heated skin.

You explore him with your tongue, swirling it around his nipples and noticing how he got even more wet because of it.

"So sensitive. Cute." you kiss his lips, your hand tangling in his hair.

"You wanna cum, dolly? Ah, I wish I could hear you beg, I bet you'd sound so sweet all desperate for me." you coo at Felix, gripping his hair and pulling it back as you jerk him off faster.

He explodes all over your hand and himself, making you gasp from the amount that spurted out, curiosity taking you over as you scoop some of it on your finger, licking it up.

"Mm. Are you strawberry flavored?" you chuckle, swirling your finger in his cum to lick at it again.

"Maybe cotton candy?" you giggle again before kissing him sweetly.

You clean Felix up and cozy up to him, curling your body around his as you wrap your arms around him.

You hope that from that day on, everything goes smoothly; without any more incidents.

The following week passed by just as you expected, with no incidents, the dolls now on their best behavior after they've witnessed Jenevieve being dragged down to the basement.

Felix became an obsession of sorts, you just couldn't keep your hands off of him.

You've never owned a doll like him, and to say that you're infatuated is an understatement.

Constantly kissing him and touching him made you equally as aroused as it did him.

You wanted him in every way, but you didn't want to use all his capabilities on your own, instead you wished he'd snap out of it and do it by himself, participate and react to your touches more than just heating up, blushing or twitching.

You felt sad every day you had to leave for work, leaving Felix alone with the other dolls.

You warned them not to try anything or you'd burn them to a crisp.

But as you finally let Jenevieve out, hoping she had learned her lesson, you had no idea how it would actually make all hell break loose.

"Now, Jenevieve I hope you're sorry for what you've done and that you understand why it was wrong. This can never happen again, okay?" you told her before putting her back in her place.

You sat Felix on your bed, caressing him and kissing him for some time.

"Be a good boy, Lixie." you kiss his forehead.

"And all of you too. Behave or else." you give Felix one last kiss before leaving the house.

It was obvious that some of your dolls felt neglected.

This was their home and in their eyes Felix was an intruder they had to get rid of.

He was taking up all your time, soaking up all your attention, getting all your love.

There were dolls that didn't agree, they liked Felix and thought he was sweet just like you did.

Some were just scared to share their opinion, afraid of being locked in the basement, smashed to pieces or burned into ashes.

The neglected dolls had come up with a plan.

They were going to destroy Felix so by the time you come home, there is nothing left to salvage.

-

"I'm home!" you announced cheerfully as you entered your house, a bag of groceries secured in your arm.

Whistling, you made your way to the living room but stopped dead in your tracks when you saw a few drops of red liquid on the floor, something that looked like blood.

You stood in shock for a moment before dropping the bag of groceries on the floor, as they made a loud thud sound, the apples you bought rolling around your living room.

With a gasp, you started running up the stairs, all of them painted in little red dots, anxiety building up with each step you took.

When you reached your bedroom, a shriek escaped your lips, echoing off of the walls.

Felix was thrown on the floor, his body and face bruised and cut up, the outfit you dressed him in torn into pieces.

What was most concerning was the blood dripping out of his wounds.

Your heart started beating fast in fear.

Noticing Jenevieve standing in the corner together with some of your other dolls made your blood boil, your body starting to shake with rage as your eyes blurred with tears.

With a loud growl as rage took you over completely, you ran downstairs to grab your sledgehammer.

"I told you. I told you to behave!" you screamed at the culprits, lifting up your weapon and smashing the first doll that was nearest to you.

"How could you do this?" you cried, continuing to pound your sledgehammer on the dolls, damaging your wall and furniture in the process.

Jenevieve was last and you smirked at her.

"Goodbye, bitch." you said before smashing her into pieces, the sound of porcelain breaking was so satisfying in your ears.

"Do any of you have anything to add?" you looked at the other dolls coldly, the ones that didn't dare move from their designated place.

"Didn't think so." you added, fresh tears sliding down your cheeks as your eyes caught sight of Felix again.

"Shit!" you exclaimed, falling down to your knees and grabbing his face gently.

He was crying.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry I left you alone with them Lixie! I will make this right, I promise!" you cried as you held onto him.

You ran to your bathroom to grab a first aid kit, running back to Felix as fast as you could.

You tended to his wounds, tears falling down your face onto his cheeks and mixing with his own.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry." you kept whispering as you took care of him, worry growing inside you when Felix became colder to the touch.

"I think this one needs stitches." you noticed a gash on his hand. "How did they do this? I'll never let anyone hurt you again, Felix."

That night, you brought Felix to your workshop, sewing up his wound and hoping that he would heal just like the bruise from his first day here was healing.

You didn't want to look at your dolls, opting to take Felix to the guest room, the only empty room in the house, getting him all comfy in your fluffiest blankets before you joined him under the covers.

"I love you a lot Lixie. Even though it's only been a week. You're my favorite doll ever." you kissed his cheek before cuddling him, holding him close to your body as you felt him warm up.

A smile spread on your face.

He's going to be okay.

Over the next few weeks, Felix's wounds have healed nicely.

You've asked to work from home so you could be with him all day.

It was quiet in your house, all of the other dolls were now even more afraid of you, after your little sledgehammer revenge.

You cuddled Felix a lot, holding him close whenever you could, playing with his soft hair and doting on him the entire time.

His face seemed to change throughout that time, from an expression of sadness and pain back to happiness and his rosy cheeks.

Once he was fully healed, you decided to bake a chocolate cake to celebrate his recovery.

Of course, he was in the kitchen with you, watching you work on the sweet treat.

You had more than one sweet treat in mind, you thought, giggling to yourself as you swiped some chocolate cream on your finger.

"Mm. So tasty." you smirked, looking directly at Felix.

"You wanna taste?" you took some more, coming closer to him and pressing your finger on his lips.

"Come on, I know you want it." you smirked. "I'll let you taste something even sweeter later."

He didn't react in the way you wanted him to, but his face was quickly becoming red.

Sighing, you leaned back and continued making the cake.

Once it was finished, you decided to let it cool down and take Felix to your living room.

"Look at that. I didn't even touch you." you giggled, the bulge in his pants evident.

He was finally all well and healed so you let yourself explore his body with your hands and lips.

It didn't take long for you to strip him, your eyes glued to his pretty cock, all hard for you.

"You make me wanna do things I usually don't." you sighed, gently stroking him.

"But you've been so good for me, so I gotta reward you." you laid Felix down, kneeling between his legs.

You kissed his thighs, lightly biting into his skin and noticing how he twitched at that.

You wanted to taste him and have him in your mouth which is something you were usually uncomfortable with but Felix made you want to do all those things you thought you never would.

"My good boy." you praise him, your lips pressing gentle kisses into his leaking cock.

Felix's body flushed as you kept kissing and licking at him, your hands sliding slowly on his soft skin, mapping him out.

You kissed his tip, tasting his pre-cum, sweet like cotton candy and you couldn't wait anymore as you wrapped your lips around him.

Your tongue tingled from the sweet taste as you swirled it around his head, a moan escaping your lips and making him leak even more.

Felix's fingers twitched on his side and your eyes widened a little as you took more of him in.

Hoping he would move again, you started bobbing your head faster, taking him in deeper, moaning around him and creating vibrations around his throbbing cock.

His fingers twitched a few more times, every time his tip hit the back of your throat it seemed to make him move.

Determined to snap him out of whatever trance he was in you gave it your all, drooling around his length as you sucked him harder, your hand squeezing his sensitive balls.

Taking you by surprise, Felix came, filling your mouth up with his cum and making you sputter as you didn't expect it.

You managed to swallow some, the rest making a mess out of his crotch.

You knew he was supposed to cum only after you pull on his hair so how did this happen?

Now, you had an even bigger inkling that Felix was alive.

A smirk spread on your lips as you stared at his reddened face.

"D'you want a taste, angel?" you giggled, your hand between your legs.

"Yeah, you do." you added, gathering some of your juices before bringing them up to his lips.

You pushed your finger in his mouth, making him taste you.

"I know you like that, my pretty prince."

You gave him a few kisses before cleaning him up.

"We can eat some cake tomorrow." you told him as you laid him down in your bed, the guest room now becoming your room.

As you cuddled up to Felix that night, you had no idea that he would finally wake up while you slept.

-

Felix's eyes widened as he fought for breath, his heart beating hard against his chest.

He gripped at the sheets, fisting them in pain as his whole body hurt.

You were sleeping peacefully on your side, facing him and for some reason he was terrified.

Felix saw what you did when you got angry so he didn't want to upset you in any way even though you treated him well, so well that he knew he loved you as much as you loved him.

But with confusion and fear running through his veins, he decided not to wake you up, instead he got up quietly in search of food and water.

He knew that if he took something from the fridge, you'd know he was awake so Felix made his way to your pantry, his feet padding on the floor quietly.

On his way there, his knee collided into a chair and he cursed quietly, his eyes widening as he looked back to the direction of your room.

Felix gulped, listening for some time and after deciding it was safe he entered the pantry.

He found some cookies and in his hunger he devoured most of them, accidentally leaving the wrapper and the crumbs behind.

After drinking some water, Felix returned to bed, deciding to let you sleep and maybe tell you that he's alive tomorrow.

-

Waking up the next day, you started the morning like any other, kissing Felix's sweet face.

But, something was different this morning.

His eyes were closed.

"Hm." you looked at him and he seemed to be breathing but it was so early in the morning that you thought you had dreamed it up.

Suddenly, your phone rang, scaring you out of your thoughts.

"Hi, Jackie!" it was your childhood best friend, the only person who tolerated your obsession with dolls.

She didn't mind it much and she loved you for who you were, the two of you grew up together, going through all the ups and downs with each other.

"Hey, y/n! I'm in town this weekend so I thought we could catch up." she said cheerfully.

"Of course, I'd love to!" you sat up, momentarily forgetting about Felix as you made your way to the kitchen with a smile on your face.

"Great, I can't wait to share all the tea I have." she said and you giggled before noticing something weird.

There was a glass you didn't touch on the counter, and your pantry door was open so you walked towards it as Jackie yapped in your ear.

As you turned the light on, you noticed half eaten cookies on the floor, the wrapper pulled apart seemingly with teeth.

"What? Do I have rats in my house?" you chuckled.

"I'm not a rat." a deep voice said behind you and you shrieked, turning around, your phone almost slipping out of your hand.

"Y/n? What's wrong?" Jackie asked.

"I'm gonna have to call you back." you said as you hung up, staring at Felix as he stood before you with his eyes wide, a timid look on his face, his cheeks rosy and lips pouty.

His hands were clasped together as he played with his fingers.

"F-Felix?" your eyes welled up with happy tears.

"It's me." he said, the depth of his voice shocking you once again, you didn't expect your sweet angel would have such deep vocal chords.

"Oh!" you laughed in delight, throwing your arms around him and hugging him tightly.

Felix gasped at your onslaught of love as you squeezed him so tight that you knocked his breath out of his lungs.

"I knew you'd come to me eventually, my angel." you gently took his face in your hands, your thumbs moving back and forth on his cheeks slowly.

"Y-you're not mad at me?" he asks cutely, blinking at you.

"No, no, not at all! Though, you left a mess." you shake your head and his face becomes redder.

"I'm sorry, I will clean it up." he says timidly and you giggle.

"Oh, you are so adorable!" cuteness aggression takes you over completely as you pinch his cheeks and kiss his plump lips repeatedly, making him giggle.

His stomach growled and he looked at you embarassingly, his face red and you chuckled.

"You need a proper meal." you said, deciding to make the classic eggs and bacon combo.

You took his hands and led him to the chair, sitting him down.

"Let me help you." Felix beamed at you.

"It's okay, Lixie. I like taking care of you."

"I know, but I want to do the same for you."

You melted instantly, kissing him again, it was hard to be apart from him.

The two of you made breakfast together, albeit clumsily as he was still confused about everything.

After eating, the two of you sat in the garden, you with your cup of coffee and Felix with his cup of hot cocoa, two slices of the chocolate cake you made last night served on the fine china.

"What made you wake up?" you asked.

"I- I'm not sure. I tried doing it before, I only managed to move my fingers or toes slightly, sometimes my eyes. It was honestly like I was imprisoned in my own body. I wanted to- to reciprocate, hold you properly and take care of you like you do to me." he said, looking away as he blushed once more.

"Ah, you are so sweet my prince. Just how I imagined. I knew you were alive, I was just hoping and waiting for you to break out of the hypnotized state."

"You think I was hypnotized?" Felix tilts his head at you.

"Do you remember anything before coming here?" you ask, reaching out to touch his hand gently.

"I remember this big cold room. And water. So much water. And there were others but I can't remember their faces. We were all there in the big room. There was a voice talking to us, I- I don't know what it said. But I think it was giving out commands." the more Felix talked about his past, the more worked up he was getting, his hands shaking, a thin sheen of sweat covering his forehead.

"Hey, hey it's okay. You don't have to tell me everything right away. It must be upsetting." you quickly stand up, holding his face and caressing him.

"I don't wanna go back there."

"You won't." you smile, sitting in his lap.

Felix freezes, his eyes wide and lips falling open, his face taking on the familiar rosy color.

"Y/n." he looks up at you cutely and you lean in, kissing him lovingly.

"You're no longer just my dolly. You're my boyfriend now." you giggle and he smiles the most beautiful bright smile you have ever seen.

"Oh! I am?"

"Mhm." you nod and lean in to kiss him again, your tongue licking at his bottom lip and he opens his mouth, letting you explore him properly now that he's awake, your hand tangled in his soft hair.

"I love you, Lixie." you kiss the tip of his nose.

"I love you y/n. Thank you for everything. For being so good to me and helping me heal when those dolls..." he shivers.

"Of course. Sorry if I went a little crazy. I know I can be insane sometimes. It's just when I saw you like that on the floor, I felt my heart break. I needed to smash them into pieces so they can never hurt you again."

"No, I'm glad you did that. If I could, I'd fight back."

"I know you would." you smile, shifting on his lap as you caress his face.

Scooting closer to him, you feel him press into you.

"I'm sorry." Felix whimpers, looking everywhere but at you. "I know you don't want to... you know."

"I do. Now that you're awake." you nod and his eyes widen.

"Oh?"

"Let's go inside." you giggle at his shocked expression.

"W-what do I do?" Felix looks at you unsurely as you sit on your bed. "Usually you're in charge..."

"You can take the lead, angel. Whatever you had in mind all this time, you can do now." you smile at him, taking his hands in yours to reassure him.

"I wanna worship you like you do to me." he blushes profusely and you chuckle.

"Of course." you say, the two of you starting with loving kisses, layers of clothing slowly coming off.

Felix lays you down gently, looking panicked for a moment, like he doesn't know what to start with, and as his eyes travel all over your body, the redness on his face spreads to his ears and neck.

Ultimately, he decides to do what you did, leaning down to kiss your neck first.

You throw your head back, giving him space as his plump lips gently travel on your skin.

You close your eyes as Felix's worships you, his lips so sweet on your hot skin, his hands caressing you gently as he slides them on your arms, then to your waist and tummy before slowly going up to cup your breasts.

"L-Lixie." you whimper as he plays with your nipples before leaning in to kiss them, his tongue darting out to swirl around the sensitive bud before his pretty lips wrap around it, sucking gently.

"Ah!" you moan, arching into him, arousal dripping from your core.

Felix whimpers when his finger touches your warmness, feeling how wet you got just for him.

He finds your clit, gently rubbing it in circles with his fingertips as he continues sucking on your breasts.

"Want you." you whine and he lifts up.

"C-can I taste you?" he asks, licking his lips and you nod eagerly.

Felix leaves kisses on your tummy all the way down to your core where he presses his lips against your clit.

"Mm, angel." you moan, making him moan too.

His tongue darts out as he starts licking at you and your eyes roll back.

He groans into your core, already addicted to your taste as he spreads you with his thumbs, pushing his tongue in eagerly, as deep as he can.

Your legs tremble a little, your hand ending up in his hair as you hold him down.

Felix keeps grunting into you, his deep voice sending vibrations through you as he laps you up, his button nose pressing perfectly against your clit.

Being sensitive, you can't hold it in too long as you explode, your juices spilling on his lips and chin.

"You taste so sweet." he looks up at you, licking at his lips.

"Come here, I need you." you make grabby hands at him and Felix giggles as he slides up, slotting himself perfectly between your thighs.

"Are you sure?" he asks and you nod.

"Please."

"Anything you want, darling." Felix whispers.

You feel his tip caress your folds and you whine, wrapping your legs around him as he sinks in, slowly opening you up just for him.

You embrace each other, your bodies moving together as Felix makes love to you until you're crying and trembling in his hold, your nails digging into his back as he finally releases his warm cum inside you, filling you up to the brim.

That night, Felix got to embrace you just how he always wanted.

The next few days pass by in perfect bliss.

You and Felix are attached at the hip, always together, always in each other's arms, lips constantly touching.

You took him out on so many dates and he loved being outside, seeing other people enjoying their day too, feeling the warm sunlight on his face, the gentle breeze caressing his hair.

You'd never been this happy before, never having someone who had seen you at your worst and still loved you for who you are.

Felix also loved helping you around the house, giving you massages and doing everything he can to make you feel comfortable.

He even told you of the dolls who were always nice to him so you'd take them out in the garden to hang out with you and Felix on a nice picnic date.

Even your friend Jackie was happy for you, first asking you to explain how the hell did he go from a doll to a human.

"So, basically, you were alive the whole time?" she scratched her head, as the three of you sat in your garden.

"I guess I was."

"So, do you remember how you were made? Like, are you human or?" Jackie asks, her eyes widened in wonder.

"I honestly have no idea. As I told y/n, I only remember that there was a room and that I was suspended in water."

"It's all so peculiar." you shake your head. "But it doesn't matter. What matters now is that Felix is alive and he is safe here." you kiss his cheek and he blushes instantly.

"If you're happy y/n, I'm happy too." Jackie smiles at you.

"Thanks, J." you giggle.

The rest of the afternoon Jackie fills you in with all the drama that happened in her life since you last saw each other, both you and Felix entertained after getting a scoop.

That night, Felix falls asleep quickly and you stay up just for some time, caressing his face and admiring his beauty.

"Good night, my sweet Lixie." you kiss his forehead before nuzzling into him and falling asleep.

Felix's night is filled with nightmares, after opening the topic of his past with Jackie today, memories started flooding in his mind.

People in white suits, their faces unrecognizable. A huge ceiling with big silver pipes. Water tanks with bodies floating inside them all in fetal position. Connected to a machine with a steady beeping sound echoing off of the walls.

The feeling of dread creeping up his spine.

Felix woke up with a loud gasp, covered in sweat, his heart almost leaping out of his chest.

"Lixie? What's wrong?" you sit up quickly as he jostled you awake.

"I- I had a nightmare." his lips tremble, tears sliding down his cheeks.

"It's okay, it was just a dream." you embrace him as he nuzzles into your neck.

You caress him until he calms down.

"It was about that place, wasn't it?"

He nods at your question and you sigh.

"How about we eat some ice cream?" you try to cheer him up and Felix nods quickly, a small smile already appearing on his face.

The two of you are in the kitchen when a loud banging on the door scares you both.

Both of you exchange a fearful look.

The banging starts again.

"Don't." Felix shakes his head, his hands trembling.

"It's okay." you reassure him, making your way to the door.

When you open them, you see five men in suits standing on your doorway, all their faces devoid of any emotion.

"Are you y/n l/n?" one of them speaks in a monotone voice.

"Yes, I am."

"So you've purchased Felix, the comforting doll?"

"I did. What is this about?" you ask confusedly.

"We are here to take him. There's been a malfunction and we need the dolls back at our company."

You scoff at them.

"No." you cross your arms.

"Miss, it's in your best interest to cooperate with us."

"Who the fuck do you think you are to know what's in my best interest?" you frown as two of the men exchange unimpressed looks.

You groan and in an attempt to shoo them away, you lift your leg up and kick one of the men right in his shin.

He doesn't even budge, doesn't make an expression or a sound that would indicate he was even hit.

"Get her out of the way." the man in the very back says and two of them grab your arms as you start screaming and kicking.

Three of the other men walk inside just as Felix runs up to the corridor, hearing your screams.

"Y/n!" he yells out, as the men grab him.

"Felix!" you kick around, tears sliding down your cheeks as you try to tear away from the men but to no avail.

"Let him go! He's alive! I love him!"

"Please don't take me away from her!"

Both of you scream but nobody listens to you.

One of the men takes a big needle out of his suitcase and before you can react he pushes it into Felix's neck, injecting him with some kind of liquid.

You scream as his body goes limp and they lift him up, walking out of your house.

"You'll get your money back, don't worry." the last man says and you scream at him, your tears flowing like a wild river.

"I don't want it! I want my Felix!" you cry, running after them but they've already pushed him into the backseat.

One of the men holds you back as they all pile in the car, leaving quickly as you fall down to your knees and cry.

Your heart hurts for breaking your promise of keeping Felix safe.

Your mind races with a thousand thoughts.

What are you going to do now?

Taglist: @moonchild9350 @janepg @velvetmoonlght @hwanghyunjinismybae @jehhskz @porangporangmeong @laylasbunbunny @laughatdanger @jeonginslefthand @sapphirewaves @simpforleeknaur @s3ungm1nxxl0ve @painterhyunjin @starlost-mochi-x @saintcosette @juskz @quokkacidal @chuuyaobsessed @whatdoyouwanttocallmefor @lixies-favorite-cookie @thelostprincessofasgard @linocvp1d

[clairyclue]

all flowers must wilt one day (oh honey don’t i know it)

florence’s unanswered calls to god

hello?

there’s a bottle of tylenol on the floor

and my heart doesn’t feel as heavy now. 

not my real heart—

the Heart that noticed you never called me your best friend

you were MINE. 

is that okay?

i don’t know if you’re still-

um-

on the line, but if you are

i want to tell you that we can

pretend my arms are around your 

shoulders while you sit in my bed 

i’m really dead, oh god. 

you didnt understand my grief 

but you mourned your family, in a way 

(how is nissy?

waverly?)

are you still there?

goodbye. for now. 

i’ll call again tomorrow. 

god wont answer my fucking calls

and i’m calling collect from this side of heaven 

and prudence, i just want to tell you i love you

not in a way i wanna use rings and share a life

but ive never kept a secret from you

are you listening?

it’s florence. again. 

(it’s always florence)

i didn’t make it to twenty-five. 

it feels like an echo chamber in here

prudey, i want to go home. 

you’re the only one looking for a call

please please please don’t forget me

i’ve been thinking all this time

can you mourn your own death?

maybe it’s my loss of mortality 

but i’ve also been thinking—

i really was a good friend, wasn’t i?

i would get scared sometimes because

because you seemed so different 

but maybe it was better when i was there

to piss you off

than you to be alone 

?

don’t sit in the auditorium 

not in my seat, row B chair 24

don’t watch the songs 

not the ones i used to dance with you to

(you hated it, i know)

don’t torture yourself, prudey

hey, okay

maybe i’m getting good at it?

you still can’t hear me

i know, i know

how did i not think you loved me?

you called every day when i was in london 

you biked to the middle of nowhere 

because i told you my mum was dead

i wish you could listen to me,

because it’s ridiculous 

prudence i’m on this side of life now

do i believe it?

i do. 

i wasn’t as bad as i thought 

(when you left home at 18 you cried in my room with me and came to my house first)

(you sat in my bed and you cried and you trusted me with your tears, you trusted me not to ask)

(was i your best friend?)

[decayandfanfics]

The great book of sayings

PAIRINGS: Tomura Shigaraki x FemReader

SUMMARY: He looks at you, his scarlet eyes fixed on yours, burning a hole through your head, every bit the predator he is, but you are as tough as it gets, so, against your better judgment and any well-founded logic, you answer his silent threat, the animalistic look he gives you with nothing less than a fearless smirk, irises burrowing into his pupils.A clever girl. He thinks, finally labeling you inside his head, cursing himself in the very moment he allows his brain to think of you as more than an asset. He is sure (he knows himself enough to know) he’ll think of this moment many times from now on.A clever pretty girl.

Reader is a typical college student until she gets herself tangled with the league of villains. 

WARNINGS: Unhealthy/complicated relationships, violence, Tomura being Tomura, mentions of murder, heroes’ abuse of power, smut later. 

A/N: I’m trying so hard to write crusty boy here really in character. At least after AfO is taken.  Any misspelled words, english is not my native language so i’m trying Helen. 

_________________________________________________________

The road to hell is paved with good intentions.

It takes about ten seconds to screw up your whole life.

Well, in theory.

College is a monstruous violent thing that feeds on your happiness and lets you sharp and scrawny, both physically and mentally. Medical school was brutal, you knew it before even applying, though you didn’t think it would be this exhausting. But you are a responsible person above everything else, so you use your sharpness and the power machine that is your brain, forcing yourself to do it. So, here you are, four years into it, stress flowing through you like blood, embedded in your system like is normal. You are fine with it, at peace with your constant nail chewing and the tics in your brow. It is fine, you went completely insane in the meantime, but it was worth it.

You see, there are many ways of being a hero, and with a quirk like yours, it would be nothing but almost impossible to follow the traditional path, so you take a side path, another form of saving lives (the true form in your experience) and with a head like yours, becoming a doctor is the natural way. Thinking about finals, your succulents and rent, you walk the path that leads to your little apartment in a quiet part of the city when you hear the soft whimper behind the trash cans in an alleyway. It would be wise to keep walking, but you believe in helping others and curiosity it’s been a main trait since childhood, besides, the soft hum of your quirk sings inside your chest like a promise of safety, so you turn and get close to it, prudence before you take another step.

“is anybody here? I heard a cry” you keep walking, measuring the distance between you and the street in case you need to run back “do you need help?”

You see him. A young man, grabbing his head between his hands, his body clutched against the wall. “Sir, are you okay? Can I help you?”

“My head…I’m going to split! It’s me! It’s me! No! it’s not! I can’t!”

You look carefully around you, making sure no one else is watching, then your eyes flare with your quirk relaxing him softly, easing his tensed muscles as you get close.

“hey…what’s the matter? i want to help you.” You decide the best option is to put yourself to his level, before speaking sweetly, your activated quirk shining subtly red in the dark.

“My mask” he says with teared eyes “I lost my mask. I’m going to split without it.”

It some kind of psychotic episode, you know that much, but he seems to be harmless otherwise. Concluding that if dangerous he would already lash out, you decide to look for something in your backpack.

“Does this serve you?” you ask handing him a red beanie you keep with you in winter.

He takes it with trembling hands and covers his head completely with it.

“Oh…thanks. That’s better. I feel better now. Thank you, miss, thank you!”

“You have a name?”

“I’m Jin. My name is Jin.”

“You have a family, Jin? Someone to call? Maybe a home?”

“my…yes, i. I…my phone is dead. I need to call Toga-chan.”

The moment he stands you see it. A big bloody gash at his side in desperate need for some stitches.

“Omg…you are hurt. Careful. Let me help you. We need to take you to the hospital.”

“No. No! No! I cannot get caught; they’ll lock me up if…yes, they will, no they don’t, yes, they will!”

“okay, okay. No hospitals. But i need to see that injure. It looks awful.”

“It hurts, no it doesn’t. But, yes. It hurts.”

“Let me take care of it. I’m a doctor…I mean, I’m on it, but I can take care of your wound.”

You take him home, thinking that maybe he’s been hospitalized before. You know how psychiatric patients tend to be caged up when no one looks for them, often tied up to the beds, sedated so they don’t bother anyone. It is cruel and you don’t want that. Besides, he says something about his friend Toga, something about someone called Dabi and Compress, so you just assume he actually has someone to look over him.

That’s how Jin ends seated in your kitchen, eating some leftovers, freshly patched as his phone charges in a corner of your living room.

“thank you again…you’ve been so nice to me, yes you are.”

“is nothing. I’m glad I found you. That wound wasn’t deep, but it could get infected very easily.”

You let him stay the night, trusting in your gut and the power of your quirk to keep you safe. He seems thankful and kind. His ways are soft, a hint of naivety and simplicity when he speaks, so even when you stay careful, you really don’t think he’ll be a problem truly.

Next morning and after some phone calls, Jin says goodbye to you between tears and wholehearted thanks. Your beanie still in his head, two holes where the eyes should go.

You watch him go from your window, waving your hand and a smile plastered across your face, hoping he stays with someone who cares for him, because he’s clearly in a vulnerable state. A blond girl takes his hand rushing across the street, watching every direction before disappearing in a nearby alleyway, but you think nothing of it.

You thought nothing of it when you got a basket full of candy by your door.

You thought nothing of it when you heard your neighbor talking about a strange man waiting for someone in the main hall of the building.

You thought nothing of it when you receive a letter from Jin naming you a great good friend of his, saying he would be your friend forever.

That’s why you think it’s kinda your own fault when the entire group of homeless people makes its appearance at your door one night at two am in the middle of your well-deserved vacations. (a month after your little encounter with Jin.)

Fear shoots through you like a bullet so quickly you forget how to breathe the moment you see the hands and a bunch of costumes for clothing.  

You’ve seen the tv, you know who they are, yet you just cannot fathom why the fuck are they standing outside your apartment, covered in dirt, starving and distressed; at least, not until you hear his voice again.

“Hello! I know this is unexpected, but you are my friend! Look, Shigaraki! She is the one who helped me when I was about to split! The doctor one. She was so good to me! Is my friend! Could you help us, please? I know it’s late, but please.”

You are livid.

Jin Is no other than Twice.

This is no other than the League of fucking Villains.

Chapter 2

[harveywritings92]

father!Connor x Reincarnated! Modern reader!

Burning and calling out for your dad that's the last thing you remembered when the ceiling collapsed and the flames consumed you, next thing you knew you were freezing your eyes looked around wildly as you took in the surrounding area, this wasn't the streets of [city/town], it was night time and you were in a forest?... and it was winter now? Not not possible it was July, you were sure of it! 

*How did I get here?!*

You wondered as you tried to stand but couldn't move you looked to see what was restraining you. and felt your stomach curdled when you saw that you were swaddled in a soot covered blanket next to body of a woman who had her limp arms wrapped securely around your now tiny body, her dead eyes stained with frozen tears as they stared blankly at you it didn't take long for you to register that you were now in the body of a newborn and were very sure this woman is...was your mother.

Struggling between fear and confusion you did the only thing a baby could do in this situation wail at the top of your lungs and hope someone finds you, before a wolf or bear comes around.

Connor's pov 

He was returning to the homestead from Boston after ordering some upgrades and repairs for the Aquila, it was getting colder as the night settled snow crunched under the hooves as they trotted down the road home, when the assassin's nose caught a whiff of smoke in the air, he assumed some hunters had made camp somewhere and kept on route when his ears caught a high pitch scream in the distance, at first he thought it was a fox, rabbit or maybe a cougar? But something didn't feel right about it.

Connor's gut felt twisted as he brought the horse to a stop got off and strained his ears to hear through the wind before pinpointing where the scream was coming from and followed it, the screaming slowly turned into a the wails of a baby, causing the hairs on the back of Connor's stand on end as he quickened his pace to the location. 

There the assassin was met by a sickening sight as his eyes wildly swept over the remains of still smoldering cabin, he felt bile bubbling up in his throat as the smell of smoke and burning flesh invaded his nose triggering visions of his mother's death as his gaze soon landed on the snow covered body of a woman holding onto a screaming infant. 

He stared down at the pair he locked eyes with little one soon Connor eyes started burned with tears as a rogue sob escaped his throat he crouched down and hesitated before his shaking hands gently took the baby from their mother's body, he held the baby close trying to keep them warm as he managed to calmed down investigated the surrounding area, where it became very obvious that the fire was no accident.

Connor eyes noticed a mark on what was left of the walls he ran finger along it felt oily; Bear grease. the fire had started here after someone dumped bear grease around the cabin and lit aflame with the woman and child still inside, the mother's body had marks and what looked like rope stuck to her burns, the fire must've burned through the bindings and she used what all the strength left in her to get her baby out.

Someone wanted them dead, but why? there were footprints leading away from the site; Connor would've followed them, but his concerned gaze went back to the baby who was oddly quiet now and was alarmed at how cold their cheeks felt. The assassin made the wise decision to return to the homestead.

Achilles was not pleased when Connor returned late but his frustration soon turned to confusion and shock when he saw what his student was carrying a baby, his shock was replaced by fear when he noted how blue the child was looking he brought a hand up and felt the their cheek the old man retracted his hand. 

"Give me that child, and go take of your robes and shirt sit near the fire" Connor gave Achilles a incredulous look. "Do it" the old man barked before snapping a Faulkner to wake up and go get Dr. Lyle the sailor was confused until he saw the situation sobered up and ran out of the manor like a bat out of hell,

Connor was sitting in front of the fire place as he watched Achilles take the wet blankets and dress off the baby which turned out to be a girl, and handed the unresponsive child to native man as his mentor showed him how to hold her. a the old draped a blanket over them as they waited those few minutes that passed felt like hours.

 Achilles mumbled to himself wondering what was keeping the doctor, Connor while kept nervously starring at the baby she wasn't as blue looking anymore, but she was still unresponsive it was unnerving, finally the door open and Faulkner and a sleepy Lyle walked in the doctor was immediately on high alert when he saw the baby in Connor's arms.  

"Oh, my what happened?"

"Cabin fire she was the only one alive when I got there."

"Good job at keeping her warm, however she doesn't seem to be breathing too well... may i see her?"

"..."

Connor reluctantly handed the baby over, Lyle carefully held her over his knee and gave her back a few small slaps which caused the native man to jump out of his chair. "What are yo-" the baby suddenly threw up before letting out a wheeze followed a series of small coughs as air filled her lungs, her skin had a more healthier hue now before bursting out crying, doctor White wiped her mouth before handing her back to Connor.

"She was choking the poor thing! must of inhaled a lot of smoke... Your lucky you found her when you did." Connor just hummed as he tried to calm the baby down but failing, Achilles huffed and took her from the young assassin then snapped at him to put his shirt on as he rocked her, the baby instantly quietly down as Faulkner handed Achilles a blanket to cover the baby with. 

While Doctor White was instructing Connor to observe the baby overnight to make she was alright which caused a bit of a stir with both mentor and student. "W-Wait your not suggest that I take care of her?!" the young man sputtered as he awkwardly eyed the baby who seemed more alert now. 

"Well of course, who else?" Lyle hummed Connor started trying to make up excuses why he couldn’t do that! they don't have a cradle, clothes, how was he supposed to feed her? Achilles pointed at his son's old cradle that was stored under a table which also had some old baby clothes inside, and was sure Prudence wouldn't mind helping with the feeding problem, she's been complaining about making too much milk to the other women.  

Connor sighed pinching the bridge of his nose it was clear he wasn't going to win this, he then looked back at the baby who eyes were looking around the den tired and curious, She was small, alone and defenseless he felt his heart throb before sighing. "Alright, I will watch her and will send for help should something happen, thank you doctor." Lyle nodded bidding Connor and Achilles a good night.

[skip through Achilles showing Connor how to dress the baby and put her to bed.]

back to your pov

*What happened?* you thought waking up fully and looking around the room; happy that you were dry and warm, but but exasperated about still being in the dark on where the hell where you were, your e/c eyes scanned the ceiling brows furrowed somehow this room was familiar; you've seen it before, but where? you sighed and struggled to move your head to get a better look around, but your neck refused to move. *damn newborn limbs!* you huffed frustrated as your tiny hand made a fist damming whoever thought it would be a good idea to bring you back as a baby!

The the sound of footsteps and voices talking got your attention. "She's in the library, and didn't make a sound all night." a worried male voice stated, Odd you could've sworn you've heard that voice before, But damn if you can't remember where! the male's voice was followed by a reassuring female voice. "Babies can differ from one and another, I sure she's just fine." Goddamn you knew that voice too! *Just where the hell am I?* you babbled loud and annoyed as the voices were now in the room with you.

"See? she's chatting up a storm now!" the woman's voice exclaimed as a large shadowy figure came into your sight, You felt kind of scared at first at the man's imposing figure before he leaned in giving you a better look at his face ,you jaw dropped in a form of a toothless grimace when you realized who it was. *Holy Shit It's Connor Kenway,* then the second realization *Holy shit I'm in a video game!* of course the only thing that came out of your mouth was an nonsensical babble.

 the assassin hummed at the sound before he carefully took you out of the cradle and presented you to Prudence "Aw, look at you! hello pretty one.~" She cooed with big smile the second she saw you and took you from Connor. *why was she here?* you thought not seeing Connor leave as the farmer sat down in a chair you awkwardly watched the new mother [Hunter's two moths older than you.] lifted her shirt up presenting her breast to you *oh...okay." You probably would've fussed or resisted but your empty stomach gurgled leaving you no choice but to got to town.

[Skip, after feeding time, and 3rd pov]

Prudence was soon joined by Diana and Catherine who were cooing and coddling at the two babies sitting on the couch next to each other as Warren had dropped Hunter off fawned over you too before returning to work, said boy looked down right confused to see another baby for the first time, while You were having an existential crisis about your current situation which the women giggled at as they talked about you two becoming friends, sharing clothes, toys, extra blankets they had for You, however their meeting was soon interrupted by Connor arguing with Achilles. 

"My answer is no, she can't stay here!"

"Funny you didn't have a problem about it last night, old man!"

"Don't be a hypocritical and That was an emergency!"

"Well, this is an emergency as well, someone wants that child dead and I intend to find out who! So until then she stays!" 

Connor's decision as final causing Achilles let an annoyed bellow before seemingly leaving the manor to cool off, there was an a tense silence filled the air as Connor's foot steps came upstairs and he appeared in the library doorway and awkwardly stared at the women who starring stunned at the native man.

 "Ah, I apologize you all had to hear that." he coughed before looking at you and Hunter sitting on the couch you were being propped up by pillow while Hunter was on his belly starring than up at Connor confused while his mom and the women found their voices mainly questions as to how exactly did you come into Connor's care?

If reader is of native decent:

[At First they thought you were his child as it appeared you were a native as well, your skin had a similar maroon tone like his, but at a second glance it seemed getting a bit lighter/darker than his, also you shared no facial features that resembled Connor's what so ever, your hair looked black, but they could see it was falling out and patches of [Blond,Ginger,Brown.] hair was growing back in it's place, and it's type was turning out more [Wiry,Coarse,Curly,Wavy.] then Connor's and you're eyes were [Blue,grey,amber,green,hazel,brown] it became increasingly obvious that you were half or at least have some native in your bloodline.]

English,Hispanic Italian,Asian,African. descent:

It was obvious you weren't his child as your skin was too/had [fair, bronze, marigold, or chestnut ] tones to it and your eyes were [blue/green/gray, black, hazel] and your hair was looking too curly/wavy/straight [red/blond/brown/black hair, and your facial features showed a clear sign you were of [English,Hispanic Italian,Asian,African.] descent... that and the fact Connor would've told at least told one person in town (Norris) that he was seeing someone and was going to be a father, the native man answered as truthfully as he could.

The women's maternal instinct were now on high alert and stated if he was going to be this baby's guardian he was going to need help and started giving Connor child rearing advice and teaching him how to change her nappies, and assured him that they watched her if he had to go on another exposition, Connor thanked them before Diana realize they didn't know what the wee one's name was.

Connor looked down at you for a few moments thinking hard before a ghost of a smile played on his lips. "Y/n. Her name is Y/n." all the women cooed and started greeted you by name, meanwhile  you were reeling in annoyance. "Seriously? " you huffed blowing a raspberry at Connor who blinked before wiped up the drool dribbling down your chin as a result.

*I get reincarnated and you give the same name I've always had, you couldn't think of something cooler?* your e/c eyes glared daggers at hoping he'd hear you; of course he couldn't hear you or your complaints, guess you'll just have to have to live with it, what could go wrong?   

[lynelovespopculture]

THE  CHILLING ADVENTURES OF ZELDA CHAPTER 14-A SPELLMAN FAMILY SOLSTICE

 Faustus and Zelda had a long recovery in front of them.  Faustus had only awakened 1 hour before his wife so they were healing at the same time. They both were assigned to complete bed rest for the next 3 weeks. In that time, they rested, snuggled together, and watched the defeat of Blackwood video numerous times. They both agreed that there was no foolproof way to get rid of Blackwood forever; they had to just keep their guard up and hope for the best. Zelda also told Faustus how Lilith had reclaimed hell for herself and found happiness with a new Adam. After the 3 weeks of bed rest, Faustus and Zelda were up and around and just in time to help celebrate Sabrina’s 18th birthday. (Since this was Sabrina’s last year at home before college, new rules were set. Thursday nights were family dinner night, absolutely no excuses for not attending, and Sunday was family movie night.)

Later that week, Faustus and Zelda managed to find some time to sit down with just the twins to have a serious talk about the adoption. Zelda explained that this adoption was less about guardianship, as the twins were almost 17, but more of a show of commitment to be their mother. Zelda nodded with understanding when they told her that they wanted time to think about it. Yet, there was 1 issue that the male twin didn’t need to think about at all. Just like his sister, Judas wanted to forget about his life with Blackwood. Soon enough, he confessed that he hated the name of Judas, so with his parents’ full support, changed his name to Jacob.  It wasn’t long at all until he was used to the family calling him Jake. 3 days later, Faustus took Zelda for a romantic dinner in the fanciest restaurant in town. As they clinked their wine glasses together, Faustus explained that it was the 1st anniversary of him being free from the curse. Hearing this, Zelda re-clinked the glasses.

“To the first of many, many years,” She smiled.

They went home, and make wild, passionate love before drifting off in each other’s arms. Late that night, Zelda turned around and found herself alone in bed. She caught Faustus at the entrance of the attic, which Ambrose and Jake now shared.

“I still can’t believe we’re all home now,” Faustus whispered as his wife linked her arm with his. With a kiss, Zelda led him back to their room, where they made love for the 2nd time that night.

  Their 1st solstice all together as a family was a very special one. LJ and Jake were both all smiles as together, they handed Zelda a gift. After wrapping it, Zelda gasped, for the box was filled with papers, but not just any papers. On top were the half-filled adoption papers and beneath that, were papers for legal name changes. The twins explained that not only did they want to be adopted but they were also ready to become Spellmans. All the family couldn’t agree fast enough. Zelda did a pretty good job of blinking back her tears of joy, or she did, right up until the twins called her ‘mom’ for the very 1st time. This happened right after Zelda gave LJ and Jake their Yule present. A thick photo album filled with pictures of their birth mother, Constance, at every stage of life so the twins could look at it whenever they wished.

In the new year, after Hilda and Dr. C celebrated their 1st anniversary and Zelda filed the paperwork for the twins’ adoption and name changes, plans went full steam ahead for LJ and Jake’s joint dark baptism. Jake kept it simple, by picking Jacob Faustus for his baptismal name. LJ’s was longer. LJ explained that her name was to be Letitia Judith Constance Zelda.

“To honor both my mothers.” LJ smiled and Zelda kissed the girl on the head, blinking back happy tears once more.

The baptism, attended by family and coven alike, went off without a hitch. For the next few months, the Spellmans’ lives were blissfully quiet and uneventful. Their lives revolved around work, school, and most importantly, each other. On April 2nd, the whole family gathered to celebrate Cordelia’s first birthday. They threw a party, of course, with cake and gifts but it was Faustus and Zelda who got the best present that day. It was later that night after they readied Cordelia for bed, they sat Cordelia down in front of her crib as they did for the last 3 weeks. It was normal when Cordelia pulled herself up to the crib with her tiny hands but then something new happened. Cordelia took her hands off the crib and took her 1st few unsteady steps towards Zelda. She playfully touched her mother’s cheek before saying her 1st word loud and clear. “Mommy!” After kissing her daughter silly, Zelda turned Cordelia around so she could walk to Faustus. The baby took 3 steps before she stumbled on the 4th and would have fallen but Faustus managed to catch her. He was rewarded with a giant smile. “Daddy!”

 Spring and summer flew by and before anyone knew it, it was September again. Everyone came out to see Sabrina and LJ, who graduated a year early, off to college. Days turned to weeks, weeks to months, and months to years. When she was 3 and big enough for a big girl bed, Cordelia was given Sabrina’s room by her still at college cousin. The following year, Hilda, Faustus, and Sabrina convinced an uneasy Zelda to allow Cordelia to attend mortal kindergarten, just like Sabrina before her. Cordelia’s parents sat her down and explained to her not to talk about witches or use magic at school. They also kept their promise to the witch’s council, to keep them updated on Cordelia’s magical development. Yet, there was little to report. The baby who cried the devil out of the house was growing up as normally as any other little witch, except for a slammed door or a few floating items. Her powers were at their strongest when her emotions were at their peak.  One afternoon, Cordelia wanted to play outside but Hilda explained she couldn’t because it was raining, hard.

“I don’t want it to rain!” As soon as Cordelia stamped her foot, the sun came out. Hilda stared wordlessly, yet Cordelia didn’t even seem to notice. It was on the 1st day of school that Cordelia met Erin, Emily, and Erica Warner, mortal triplet girls who quickly became her BFFs. Meanwhile, with his youngest now in school, Faustus was feeling a little lost.  Ambrose and Jake formed the perfect team to run the funeral home together and the rest of the family were busy with their own thing. 1 night, Zelda suggested her husband should return to teaching. Zelda knew she got through to him and was waiting for Faustus to ask her to return to the academy. So, she was shocked when he told her he gotten a job at Greendale middle school, teaching 7th grade. Theo Putnam was also a new teacher.

 It was a cold night in the late December of Cordelia’s sixth year that the child awoke with a start.

“Who’s there?” She demanded with the greatest demand she could mutter as she sat up and looked around the darkened room. She looked around and saw nothing, yet she felt someone was nearby. Cordelia sighed, this wasn’t a new feeling. She pulled back her blankets and got up. Might as well go to the bathroom while I’m awake. She thought.

“Hey, Salem.” Cordelia petted Sabrina’s familiar on her way back to bed. Then she picked up her favorite doll, tucked it under her arm, sighed as she laid down, and closed her eyes.

 The next thing she knew, sunlight tickled at Cordelia’s eyelids. 1 quick look at the clock and she jolted out of bed and down the hallway. Her own school had let out for Christmas yesterday, but the academy was a year-round boarding school that demanded much of its headmistress. Cordelia felt that she spent less than 10 minutes with her mother all week. Maybe it was still early enough to catch her. She stopped short in her parents’ doorway. Not only was no one in here, but the bed was made and everything was neat, suggesting that both her parents left long ago.

“It's not even 9 yet! Well, so much for that idea.” Cordelia muttered as she headed for the steps. Downstairs, Cordelia found her brother fluttering back and forth before the front door as if he was preparing to go out. “Where’re you going, Jake?” she asked from the stairway.

Jake looked up, pausing as he put on his coat. “Good morning, Cordy. Mom just called, she needs someone to fill in for her with the choir ASAP.”

“Mom’s already at the school?”

Unfortunately, Jake was too busy to notice the sadness in his sister’s tone. “Yeah. Bye.”

Cordelia was left to frown at the closed door when the wonderful smells finally reached her nose. Those smells only appeared when someone special visited. Now wearing a tiny smile, the 6-year-old ran into the kitchen and hugged the visitor from behind. “Hi, auntie H!”

Hilda, who was baking, half-turned and gave her niece a 1 arm hug. “Hello, darling.”

From his stool 3 feet away, Ambrose waved. “Hello, cousin.”

“Hello, another Spellman who no longer lives here.” Cordelia teased good-naturedly and Ambrose laughed. He and Prudence had only moved into a small apartment together downtown 3 months ago.

Meanwhile, Hilda wiped her hands on a towel. “It’s cereal alright for breakfast?”

Cordelia smiled and nodded. “Yes, please.”

“So, Cordy, how did you sleep?” Asked Ambrose.

“Good! For the most part.”

Ambrose and Hilda exchanged a look. “For the most part?” repeated her aunt.

“Ghostbusting again, cuz?”

Cordelia gave Ambrose an annoyed sideways glance. “No, Ambrose. Ghostbusting would imply that I actually see the spirit.”

Ambrose was now confused. “Wait, you don’t see the ghosts? Ever? But you had this problem for a while.”

“Since before feasts of feasts as I recall,” Hilda added.

“I don’t understand. If you can’t see them, how do you know they’re ghosts?”

Cordelia shrugged. “I don’t know. I just know, it’s just a feeling. Most girls my age are scared of ghosts; I just want them to make up their minds! They should show themselves, tell me what the problem is so I can help or just let me be so I can sleep at night.”

Hilda and Ambrose both had nothing to say so they just stared at the girl. Cordelia sighed, what was needed now was a change of subject and she found it on the serving tray. “Who pops popcorn this early in the morning?”

Ambrose sprang to life. “Oh, I almost forgot!  I was supposed to bring out the cranberries and popcorn to Dr. C and Uncle Faustus. They finally setting up the Yule tree!” Ambrose grabbed the tray and rushed out of the kitchen.

“Well, I got to go too,” Cordelia announced.

“Why?” Asked Hilda.

“Because my bowl of cereal was on that tray!”

Hilda laughed, shook her head, and returned to her baking.

 “I swear, we get this tree up later and later every year.” Faustus sighed.

“Well, we’re busy men,” Dr. C assured him. “Me at my bookstore, you at the middle school. Here comes Ambrose, at last.”

Faustus smiled as the younger warlock rushed in. “We were beginning to think you’d forgotten us.”

“I’m so sorry that it took me so long,” Ambrose said.  “Aunt Hilda and I got to talking and then Cordelia walked in.”

“Oh? Cordy’s up?”

“I sure am!” The child was right on Ambrose’s heels. She was closer to Dr. C so she greeted him first. “Hi, Uncle C” She hugged him and then went over to her father. “Hi, Daddy” she giggled when Faustus kissed the cheek of his youngest child. The 2 men went back to trying to steady the tree, as Ambrose found a chair and began to thread the popcorn and cranberry strings together. After reclaiming her breakfast, at last, Cordelia sat on the sofa and asked about the only thing on her mind.

“How long ago did Mom leave for the academy this morning?”

“About an hour and a half to 2 hours ago” Faustus answered casually. “Why? Do you need her?”

Cordelia frowned. “No, I don’t need her per say, but I do miss her. It’s like I barely have seen her this week.”

“Don’t worry, baby,” Faustus soothed his daughter. “While it’s true that Solstice demands more of the high priestess’s time than normal, all she has to do is get through today and perform tomorrow’s midnight mass then Zelda will be free to spend the rest of the holidays with us.”

“Don’t forget when we go get the girls tomorrow.” Dr. C added. “Zelda would never miss that.”

Although both LJ and Sabrina left for college 6 years ago, the girls were still away for their education but for different reasons. Unlike Jake, who left a year after his sister and cousin and return 2 years later, business degree in hand. Poor Sabrina was having a tough time, having changed her major 3 times. On the flip side, LJ had not only completed university in record time but was enrolled in 2 different medical schools. When done, LJ would not only be 1 of the few female witch doctors, she would also be the 1st witch doctor trained in mortal medicine. With a sister on her way to glory and her mother already in the history books as the 1st high priestess, Cordelia was extremely proud of her family and sometimes wondered if greatness lay in her future as well.  Having finished her breakfast, Cordelia now lay the now-empty bowl on the coffee table and went to the old cardboard box that held the tree decorations.  After a few seconds of digging around, Cordelia was able to her favorite one. It was a diamond full moon on 1 side and the other side was a picture frame. The picture itself was taken on her 1st solstice. It was of Zelda, Faustus, and Cordelia herself, when she was still just a baby. While Cordelia stood admiring the photo, Dr. C lost his balance on the step stool and bump into the girl, causing her to lose her grip on the glass moon and it smashed on the floor.

Dr. C rushed to the child’s side. “Oh Cordelia, I’m so sorry!” He hugged her.

Cordelia put on a brave face. “It’s okay, uncle C. We have lots of others.”

As they spoke, the fragments of the glass moon float up in the air and magically fixed itself.

“But this 1 is your favorite,” Faustus held it in the palm of his hand. “I know because it’s my favorite too.”

Cordelia smiled. “Thanks, Dad.”

  Putting up the tree nearly took all day. Cordelia was excused because right after lunch, the Warner triplets called their friend to come with them to go to the mall to see Santa. Cordelia was gone all afternoon and returned just in time for dinner yet her mood seemed to change. She was quiet and seemed angry. At first, Hilda thought her niece was annoyed because Zelda called to say that she was too busy to come home for dinner.  Then, in the middle of supper, Jake knocked over a glass of water. On the other side of the table, his baby sister jumped up in horror.

“You should be more careful!” She shouted before she ran out of the room. Faustus and Hilda found Cordelia in her room pacing back and forth before her bed. “Don’t cry, don’t cry, don’t cry!” She muttered to herself.

“Cordy? What’s wrong?” Faustus asked.

His daughter looked up, frowning. “You should have told me. Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Tell you what?”

“THAT OUR KIND CAN MELT!!”  Cordelia shouted.

Faustus and Hilda exchanged a confused look. “Cordelia, love,” Hilda said gently, “what exactly did you and your friends do this afternoon?”

Cordelia sighed. “After the trip to the mall to see Santa, Mr. Warner invited me back to their house for hot chocolate and it was there that Erin, Emily, Erica, and I watched a movie.”

“What movie?” Her father asked.

“The Wizard of Oz.”

Both Faustus and Hilda felt instant relief. Hilda left to go inside the bathroom while Faustus took his daughter by the hand, guided her to the bed, so they could both sit down.

“Darling, while it’s true the mortals have short lives, while we witches can live for centuries and centuries. Surely, we can’t live that long if we are in danger of something as common as water.”

“But in the movie-“

“The movie is not real. It’s pretend, make-believe. You remember when you, Mommy, and I had our talk about make-believe?”

Cordelia nodded. “I remember, but it’s so confusing! After all, mortal parents tell their children that witches are make-believe.”

Faustus nodded. “That’s true but I can prove I’m right! Think back to every mass you attended, all the times Zelda took you with her to the academy, have you ever, after all that time with the coven, even seen a green witch?”

“No. Hey, wait  a second, I didn’t tell you that the witch was green! How did you know?”

Faustus laughed. “The Wizard of Oz is a very famous movie and you’re not the 1st witch to get spooked by water after seeing it. I guess you could call it a witch childhood rite of passage by now.”

“Your father’s right,” said Hilda, coming toward the bed, glass in 1 hand. “When your cousin Sabrina saw that movie, she reacted the exact same way you did. That’s when Zelds and I came up with the test.”

“Test? What kind of test?”

“Come here and I’ll show you.” When Cordelia didn’t move and kept staring at the glass, Hilda tried again. “What’s wrong? Don’t you trust me?”

This softened Cordelia immediately. “Of course I do, Auntie H.” The child got off the bed and came forward and Hilda knelt down to look her niece in the eye. “Now just give me 1 of your fingers.” Cordelia offered up a finger. Hilda took it and put the tip of the finger just under.  “Now, how does that feel?”

“Wet.” Was the child’s only reply.

Hilda laughed. “Yes, it’s wet, but what else? Does your finger feel like it is going to fall off or melt?”

Cordelia smiled and shook her head.  Hilda smiled. “Good, the test has worked in our favor yet again.”

“Thank Hecate!” Faustus added. “Can you imagine how foul our world would be if none of us would be allowed to bathe?”

Cordelia laughed at her father’s funny face as Hilda kissed her brow.

  A few hours later, Faustus turned down the bed as Cordelia got ready in the bathroom.

“Cordy, have you brushed your teeth yet?”

“Doing it right now, Dad.”

Faustus couldn’t resist. “With water?”

First, there was silence then came a low moan. Faustus smiled to himself.

Cordelia switched off the bathroom light and walked more into her bedroom. “Hecate, I’m dumb,” She muttered.

When she was close enough, Faustus put his arm around his daughter. “You are not dumb. You, my girl, are 6. Considering how you speak and behave most of the time, it’s easy to forget how young you are.”

Cordelia gave a half-smile. “Still young enough to be read to?”

“Not very subtle, miss Spellman.”

Cordelia giggled and crawled into bed as Faustus grabbed the book on the nightstand. Some little girls like fairy tales, most, at least, like a story with a plot. But most nights, Cordelia favored spell books, especially the Latin ones, even though Cordelia didn’t speak the language. She said it soothed her faster. Tonight, Faustus only read a page and a half before Cordelia was fast asleep. He tucked her in and tiptoed out of the room. The next thing Cordelia was aware of; someone was arranging her blankets. Her 1st thought was that the troublesome ghost was back but she was instantly awake when she saw who it really was.

“Mommy! I missed you so much today!” Cordelia sat up and threw herself into Zelda’s arms.

Zelda kissed her brow. “I’ve missed you too, little one. I didn’t mean to wake you, but your father told me that you had a scare today.”

“That’s not important,” Cordelia dismissed. “Will you come with us to pick up LJ and Sabrina tomorrow morning?”

Zelda nodded. “I will, but I must get back to the academy by early afternoon at the very latest.”

Cordelia frowned. “But tomorrow is the day before Solstice. You always spend it with us.”

“I know precious but we’re so behind this year. I mean, the church is not yet decorated or prepared for midnight mass yet.”

“How about I go with you? That way you could get your work and we could still be together.”

“We’ll talk about it tomorrow.”

“No! Wait! Don’t go yet.” Cordelia grabbed her book. “Read to me.”

“It’s late, Cordelia.”

“Please, Mom?”

Normally, Zelda would have held firm but she felt massively guilty about barely being home lately. Zelda sighed and took the book. “Move over.”

An hour later, Faustus went to look for his wife and found Zelda and Cordelia snuggled up together, both fast asleep. Faustus went to Zelda to whisper to her. “It’s late, my love. We’re going to have to leave for the airport, well, in just a few hours now.”

“Mmm,” was Zelda’s only reply.

It was only then that he saw the book. “Did Cordy get another story out of you?”

Again, “Mmm.”

“Dearest, are you asleep?”

“Mmm?”

Faustus smiled. “That’s what I thought.” Gently, he put 1 hand under Zelda’s head and the other 1 under her knees. Then he carried Zelda out of Cordelia’s room and back to their own bed.

 Even though they had only been home a few weeks before for feats of feasts, Sabrina and LJ’s homecoming was a joyful one. At the airport, there was much hugging and kissing, done by all the family. The morning flew by with all their laughing, talking, and catching up. After lunch, most of the family went to the church with Zelda to help set things up, yet Sabrina went for a different reason. All Sabrina had to do was wait for an opportunity to talk to her aunts alone. She got 2 and chickened out both times. Fed up with her own failure, Sabrina teleported herself back to Spellman’s kitchen and groaned.

“Just tell them, you coward!”

The loud whistle of the kettle startled Sabrina. She turned and saw Faustus at the stove,1 of his eyebrows rose. “Something wrong, Sabrina?”

She could feel her eyes watering. “Yes.”

Faustus said the 1st thing that came to mind. “Are you changing your major again?”

Sabrina shook her head. “No, I’m not changing my major. I’m not going back to school at all!” There, she finally said it.

For his part, Faustus got out 2 cups and saucers, poured the tea, and sat down at the table with Sabrina.

“I can’t seem to bring myself to tell Auntie Hilda and Aunt Z. I wasted 5 years, 3 majors, and all that money. My aunties are going to be so disappointed.”

In an effort to comfort his niece, Faustus took Sabrina’s hand in his. “All your aunts have ever wanted for you is to be happy.”

“I tried, I tried so hard.” Sabrina’s lip quivered.

“I know,” Faustus soothed. “Maybe this could be a blessing in disguise,” he suggested. “Maybe, by taking a semester off will help you relax and figure out for sure what you really want to do.”

“But I was sure all those times I change my majors,” Sabrina stressed.

“You know, 1 of my favourite teachers once told me that the secret to professional success is to pick something that you love and are good at.”

“But I don’t know what I’m good for a job.”

“What about helping people? You’re good at that.”

“But that could any career.” Sabrina pointed out.

“How about a therapist? I would be lost without mine.”

Sabrina smiled. “A therapist? Me? You remember I’m the one who causes most of the problems around here?”

“Oh, that was when you were a teenager,” Faustus dismissed. “You’re grown up a lot since then. Besides, if nothing else, the outlook of a half-mortal, half-fallen angel raised by witches is bound to be interesting.”

Sabrina laughed. “True. You’ve given me a lot to think about. Thanks, Uncle Faustus.”

He was shocked. “You’ve never called me uncle before.”

“I know but it’s high time I did.”

 “Dad? I’ve been wondering something for a long time, but I’m not sure how to ask.”

It was late that night and Faustus was readying Cordelia for midnight mass. In his opinion, she looked great. His daughter was wearing a new red dress, her white winter tights, and shiny black Mary Janes. He was now adding the finishing touch of a ribbon in her red hair, exactly like her mother’s. “Cordy, don’t be scared. You know you can ask me anything.”

“Okay, Dad, don’t you believe? I mean, I know that Uncle C isn’t a warlock, so it makes sense that he doesn’t share our faith, but why don’t you believe?”

“But I do believe, sweetheart. I was baptized the night after you were born.”

Cordelia seemed confused. “You were?! Then why don’t you ever attend mass?”

Faustus sighed. “You have to leave in a few minutes and it’s a very long story and I promise that someday we will discuss this in greater detail, but for now all I can tell you that when I was high priest, before you were born, I did things that I am deeply ashamed of. The coven has since forgiven me but I am still weary of being near them.  I do attend mass, in fact, I’m there every week, but I don’t sit up front with the rest of the family, I actually like to sit in the very back pew. I also like to be the last one to arrive and the first one to leave. I like it when the coven doesn’t even notice me.”

Cordelia thought for a moment and then said, “Are you sorry about what you did?”

“Oh, Hecate, yes! I’m sorrier than anyone can ever know.”

Cordelia shrugged. “Then the coven has to forgive you. It’s just good manners.”

Faustus hugged his daughter, grateful for her innocent logic.

   A little later, Cordelia found herself at the church, sitting in the front pew with Hilda, Sabrina, Ambrose, and the twins while Prudence sang in the choir. Even at 6, Cordelia felt proud that it was her mother who performed the service, glorious in her white and gold robes. During the middle of the service, Cordelia took advantage of her end seat and looked toward the back. Sure enough, she found her father, who waved at her. After mass, Cordelia stayed behind to help clean up and help her mother say goodbye to the coven. When they drove home, there a raven haired woman near the stairs. Cordelia didn’t know who the lady was but, judging the way her mother was gripping the wheel, Cordelia guessed her mother did.

“Is she the one who keeps bothering you?” Zelda asked.

“No, I don’t think so. Mom, who is that?”

“Go inside and get dressed for bed, Cordy. It’s late.”

Cordelia did as she was told but she did pick up some bits of dialogue.

“Bright solstice, Zelda.”

“What are you doing here, Lilith?”

“Come now, surely I’m allowed to check up on my son’s future bride.”

That was all Cordelia heard. 10 minutes later, Zelda came into Cordelia’s room to kiss her daughter goodnight.

“Mom?  I heard you and that lady talking. Who’s getting married? Prudence or LJ?”

“No one in this house is getting married!” Zelda declared firmly.

Zelda went to bed mad and woke up even angrier. “I don’t get it, Faustus.” She said to her husband as they went downstairs for breakfast. “We heard or seen nothing of Lilith these past 6 years and the 1st thing she mentions is that stupid marriage contract that I signed in invisible ink and can’t possibly be binding. Lilith knows that! What game is she playing at?”

“I don’t know and I don’t care.” Faustus answered honestly. “Whenever it is, we’ll deal with it together like we always do. Today is solstice. It’s time to celebrate that and the fact that this is your 1st day off in weeks. Then, later on, tonight, I get to show you how terribly I and our bed, have missed you.”  He kissed her hard before they walked into the kitchen, hand in hand.

 According to tradition, the family waited until sundown to gather round the Yule tree and start exchanging gifts. Half an hour later, the get together was in full swing, with music, talking, and laughing all filling the air. It was about this time that Faustus gave Zelda a small blue ring box. Inside was the 6th annual charm that Faustus gave his wife every Yule to go on the bracelet that he had given her on their 1st Solstice that they spent together as a married couple. However, the meaning of this year’s charm was lost on Zelda.

“A white rose?”

Faustus nodded. “A symbol of eternal love.”

Zelda gave a sly smile. “Yours or mine?”

Faustus laughed and stroked his wife’s cheek as he received Zelda’s thank you kiss. Then Faustus stood up and grabbed a skinny gift from under the tree. He passed it to Cordelia.  “Speaking of jewellery, here a little something from your mother and me.” Cordelia smiled as she took the gift and unwrapped it. It turned out be a golden chain with a crescent moon attached, not unlike her own birthmark. She looked up at her parents from her place on the floor.

“I love it! Thank you, Dad. Thank you, Mom.” Cordelia got up and hugged both her parents.

“May Hecate bless and keep you, my Cordelia.” Zelda smiled at her daughter.

“Amen.”

“Oh, it seems we ran out of music and could use a new Christmas CD.” Hilda sighed.

“I’ll go change it since I’m up.”  Cordelia offered and journeyed to the stereo but before she got there, she passed a window and froze.  She looked very upset.

It was Hilda who first noticed her distress.  “Cordy, darling? What’s wrong?”

“It’s her,” Came her niece’s reply. “The ghost that keeps up me at night. She’s right outside.”

“How do you know? You said you never saw her.” Ambrose pointed out.

Cordelia shook her head. “I never did, but I always felt her just as I feel her now and I’m looking straight at her.”

Faustus got up to collect his daughter.  “Come sit down, sweetheart.  We’ll figure all this out later.” Yet just as he put an arm around Cordelia, he looked out the window and saw the ghost too. “Constance?”

“Faustus, may I see you out in the hall for a minute?” Zelda asked as she rose.

 “I think we should let Constance in.”

Faustus couldn’t believe his ears. “What?  Zelda dearest, what are you saying?”

“Well, I think it’s perfectly oblivious why she’s here.”

Faustus nodded. “Yes, she’s here to ruin our family solstice.”

“No,” his wife disagreed, “I think she’s here to see her children, the twins, as is her right.”

“I think you’re giving her too much credit. Don’t you remember how she behaved the last time we made contact with her? You had to bar her from the house!”

“That was over 6 years ago. Maybe she changed.”

“Changed?!” Faustus sneered. “Then why has she  been  bothered Cordy for over a month?”

“Why don’t you go out there and ask her yourself?”

“Fine, I will,” Faustus agreed. “But you’re coming with me.”

A moment later, Zelda and Faustus stepped out onto the frozen porch. Constance was right before them.

“If we allow you into this house, will you abide by its rules and customs?” Faustus asked.

Constance smiled as she nodded. “I will.”

“Come in. You are welcome.” With those simple words, Zelda broke her own spell.

The whole family was shocked when Faustus and Zelda returned with the ghost. Hilda was the 1st to recover.

“Um, Ambrose, Prudence, Sabrina, Cordy, could you come to help me and your uncle C in the kitchen?”

“I think I’ll join you.” Zelda turned to join the family, but Constance called her back. “Please stay, Zelda, there’s something I would like to say to you too.”

“Ok.” Zelda was unsure as she slid into her chair next to Faustus. The twins were sitting on the sofa. Zelda noticed that the twins were holding hands, something they only did when they were really anxious.

“Is it true?”  Jake asked. “Are you really our mother?”

“She’s only our birth mother,” his sister answered him, “Zelda is our real mother.”

“LJ, please!” Zelda didn’t mean it, but her mothering tone came through.

Constance didn’t seem to mind as she stared at the twins and smiled. “You are both so beautiful.”  She touched LJ’s face. “My daughter on her way to becoming a witch doctor!”

Jake lowered his eyes. “I’m sorry I’m not a genius like LJ.”

“Are you happy, my son?”

“I am.”

Constance smiled. “That’s all that matters.”

“And we’re safe,” LJ added.

“That’s right,” Jake agreed. “Blackwood is no more.”

Constance smiled. “I know; I’ve been watching you. I’ve been watching all of you.” Constance turned. “Which brings me back to you, Zelda Spellman. I have something important to say to you. Thank you. Ever since you dispatched with Blackwood, you have done everything to make sure that my children felt safe and loved. I can never thank you enough for that.”

LJ got up and walked to Zelda’s side. “Why would even doubt her? She cared for us when we were babies. I mean, this is the same woman who whisked me away at birth and loved me when she didn’t have to.”

You must understand,” Constance stressed. “The last time I saw Zelda; she was heavily pregnant. I thought that she would prefer her own child and become a petty and jealous stepmother to the 2 of you. Just” Constance sighed and cast down her eyes in shame. “Just as I did with Prudence. Happily, that didn’t happen. She loves you as if you were her own.”

“I love them because they are my own,” Zelda said gently, “Just as Cordelia and Prudence are. Perhaps you would have learned this if you’ve survived but a mother’s heart can never be too full.”

“Wait,” Jake was confused. “If all you wanted was to have a peaceful heart-to-heart, then why have you been bothering Cordy all this time?”

Constance looked startled.  “Have I?   I didn’t mean to. Please apologize to her for me.”

LJ leaned in to whisper in Zelda’s ear.  “I guess the divine child’s powers can pick up a rogue ghost better than we can.”

Zelda’s focus was elsewhere at the moment. “Constance, you’re glowing. You’ve never looked better.”

The ghost blushed like a schoolgirl. “Am I? Well, I guess being at peace agrees with me then. You see, I recently re-met a friend from childhood on the other side, and he has been helping me to put aside my anger and bitterness. I’m starting to see things differently now. Zelda, I understand that you didn’t set out to break up my marriage, Faustus’s heart was yours long before I came around. It’s perfectly fine that my children have 2 mothers, as long as they are loved and protected.”

Sensing that her time was up, Constance kissed both her children and turned to leave when

“Wait.” It was the 1st time Faustus had spoken since they had all sat down. Now, he stood and when to the ghost. “Constance, I have never seen you speak so tenderly or behave so kindly. I just to say I’m sorry. We never were a love match but I could have been kinder to you during our marriage. Not pressuring you for a son, been more of a comfort during your miscarriages. Enjoy the happiness you have now; you certainly deserve it. Bright Solstice.” He gave her a peck on the cheek. The lights flicked and then the ghost was gone.

It was when Constance was gone that Jake fell on his knees before Zelda. “We love you, bonus mom.”

LJ hugged her. “We sure do.”

Faustus watched this touching scene for a moment and then turned his attention to the hallway.  “Okay, guys, you can come out now. Don’t think I don’t see you spying over there!”

The guilty gang filed back into the living room and the Solstice celebrations continued.1 hour later, the room was quiet as Ambrose read Charles Dickins’ A Christmas Carol aloud. Fearing that she would too big to do it next year, Cordelia grabbed her favorite blanket and settled herself on Zelda’s lap. She was going to ask if she was too heavy when her mother held her closer.

“Hecate, bless us, everyone,” Cordelia whispered.

[bleak-midwinter-snow]

Bad Fortune

Notes: I feel like the more I write the more obvious it is that I have no idea what I am doing but as they say, when the quarantine hits... So here we go again, with an OC that actually has a name this time! Takes place in a merge of season 1 and 2 I believe, it’s been a while since I’ve seen them. Communication is the key to a soft ending, kids. This is also so far my longest thing (2.7K words) so, enjoy!

And again, English is not my first language so if something sounds off, I’m sorry.

—–

“Does your mother know where you are or am I going to be a gypsy witch again?”

A young woman stepped into the betting shop, walking past still empty desks on an early Monday morning. Prue Morris wasn’t a rare view in the Shelby parlour, though today her visit had a different reason than usual.

“Hello, Polly.”

“If you are looking for boys they are at the Garrison.”

“At this hour already?”

“Business at this hour only. Or so I was told,” Polly closed a book she was writing into and pulled out a cigarette. The young woman sat down at one of the empty chairs nearby.

“I’m sorry for my mother’s behaviour yesterday. She is getting worse every day.”

Polly let out a puff of smoke she looked through at her visitor. “She hasn’t come to terms you are not an obedient child anymore. Not that you never got into trouble anyway.”

Prue chuckled at the memory of times when she stuck around the Shelbys after school. Having siblings was a foreign concept to her and they were always up to some mischief she got tangled in whenever she was close. The fun never lasted long, as Prue’s mother was swift to find her and remove from any situation that included the gypsy family. But it was worth it.

“Well, she cannot drag me home by hand anymore. Even though she desperately wishes to,” she leaned back on the chair and stared at the ceiling.

Since she started working and living her own life, Prue hoped her mother’s controlling hold on her will be gone, or at least loosen a bit compared to times she was a child. Unfortunately, she was wrong and the grip felt it was getting desperately stronger now she wasn’t around her mother at all times.

I named you Prudence in hopes it will set you for life with good judgement but you are so careless, the words echoed in her head. She knew her mother was worried but at this point it felt like no matter what Prue did, her mother was never satisfied. It was about time she did what she wanted to do, as waiting for praise or validation for her decisions, no matter how significant, or insignificant for that matter, was a long-lost fight.

“And she doesn’t even know the worst yet.”

“What, that the bad fortune from more than 25 years ago may be true?” Shelbys always had a special place in her mother’s book.

“Maybe. But I’m not the culprit.”

“What do you mean?”

Polly took a long drag from her cigarette and narrowed her eyes with a small smile, “You are in love.”

Prue blinked twice fast and laughed. “Now isn’t that a bold statement, Polly?”

“Oh please, Polly is never wrong about love.”

“We’re just frien-“

“Don’t pull that on me either, you think no one noticed you two disappearing from the Garrison for an hour but I did.”

Prue gave out a small huff. She had nothing to say to that. The truth was, yes, she found herself falling for Thomas Shelby. Despite seeing him for a while, she kept her feelings to herself because she knew her confession would probably just complicate everything and despite the sweet and intimate moments they shared, she wasn’t sure he felt the same and if he even wanted to go that way with her. Though she would lie to herself if she said that sometimes, she didn’t wish he let her closer.

“It’s not like it would work, Polly. There are just too many things that go against it.”

“Have you told him?”

“Of course not.”

“Go tell him.”

“That’s not how it works.”

“No, that’s exactly how it works! Adults communicate. Unless you are a child, Prue, like your mother says you are.”

That small change in young woman’s expression was everything Polly wanted. She smiled.

“Off to the Garrison you go! Quick, before your shift starts!”

Prue sighed and hated how Polly knew exactly what strings to pull. And hated herself how easily she got swayed by her words. Maybe her mother was right after all.

“If he breaks my heart it will be your shoulder I will be crying on, you know!” she said mockingly on her way out of the shop. Polly just opened one of the books again and with a smile, she lit up another cigarette.

***

The Garrison pub was empty. Chairs still on tables and the bar polished clean with not a soul around, except from three Shelby brothers leaving the private room just as she walked in.

“Hey, if it isn’t Prudence Morris!” Arthur teased her by using her full name as her mother often did when she was calling for her. She grinned at the welcome.

“Good morning, gentlemen.”

“Would lady like a drink?” the oldest Shelby was already behind the bar, grabbing four glasses.

“Isn’t it a little early for that, Arthur?”

“It’s never early in my pub,” he replied with a grin as he poured the whiskey.

“I can see that. But no, thank you, keep it at three,” she smiled and stopped him before he could reach the fourth glass. Then she finally turned to Thomas, who was lighting a cigarette.

“Tommy, can we talk? In private?”

The backroom of the Garrison that currently served as a storage room provided more privacy than the small private room by the bar. As soon as the door closed behind them, Tommy spoke.

“I wanted to talk to you too, actually.”

“Is it about my mother? Don’t tell me she has been here.”

“No, she hasn’t. But she’s been over at the betting shop.”

“I know, I’ve been there already, I apologized to Polly. She took it way too far.”

“She’s worried you stick around the wrong crowd. And no one can blame her,” Tommy gave her a concerned look. “It’s dangerous around us, you know. You know what we do.”

“So, are you taking my mother’s side, then?”

He took a long drag from his cigarette.

“I don’t want you in unnecessary danger.”

“I can take care of myself, you know,” Prue crossed her arms on her chest defensively. The last thing she needed was Tommy undermining her the same way her mother did.

“Does your mother know who you are meeting up with in secret and what does it mean for your safety?”

“Do you know I carry a gun?”

“That’s not the point.”

“That’s exactly the point. I can take care of myself, Tom.”

Silence. Everyone had their concerns. Tommy had a point and Prue knew it. She wasn’t sticking around Shelby kids anymore, being around Blinders put her at risk but the fact he tried to play his own concerns as lack of her mother’s approval of what Prue decides to do annoyed her. But she is not backing out now, Polly was right. They have to talk.

“Has Polly told you why my mother keeps going crazy about me sticking around?”

“Because she is worried about her daughter.”

“No, the actual reason.”

Tommy shook his head lightly and almost didn’t blink. His eyes were focused on her.

“Shortly before I was born, my mother got into an argument on the street. It was over something stupid but the woman she argued with spat at her feet and told her to be careful because one day a gypsy will steal her daughter,” she slowly walked towards him as she spoke, “Mother thinks it’s Polly. The gypsy from the bad fortune.”

“But it’s not just Polly, is it now.”

“No, it’s not. Because Thomas Shelby,” she took his face into her hands, “you are the one who stole my heart.”

He kept looking at her with the same expression, eyes moving from one side to other, as if he couldn’t decide where to look.

“I love you, Tommy. And that’s a fact.”

Tommy left out a small sigh, almost sorrowful as he slowly closed his eyes.

“Is this what you wanted to talk about?”

The cold demeanour was a part of Thomas Shelby since he returned from France and she knew this. No one has been the same since and she knew what she was getting herself into when she realized she was falling for him. But she couldn’t help but feel a little chilled by this behaviour, like she has been left outside on a cold day.

“Yes, I wanted to make things clear on my side.”

“What would your mother think if -“

“Can you stop bringing her up?” She quickly removed her hands from him a took a step back. “I am my own person with my own choices, Tom. If you want to reject me, do it because you want to and don’t look for excuses.”

He let out a puff of smoke.

“Just say how you feel about us, Tommy. I can take it.”

Tommy finished his cigarette and stepped closer to her. “Prue, I -“

John suddenly opened the door.

“I’m sorry to bust in but there are some men that want to speak to you, Tommy.”

“What men, John?”

“Haven’t seen them before. They say they came here all the way from London.”

“I’ll be right there.” Then he turned back to Prue.

“Stay here. I’ll be right back and we will talk, eh?” He gave her a quick pat on the shoulder and before she could react, Tommy was out the door. She stood there for a second and then with a deep sigh, she was out the back entrance, on her way to work.

***

Working kept her mind occupied and clear of thoughts of her mother or Thomas Shelby, which she was thankful for. Prue knew the conversation will continue eventually but she wasn’t sure it would be today. In a way she felt bad for just leaving the Garrison with the conversation unresolved but then again, they both had places to be. It wasn’t an ideal situation. Maybe if she stopped by the pub later tonight, they could continue talking and solve this as adults they are. Or not. Why had she given into Polly’s enabling again?

The shift has ended and Prue was putting on her coat, ready to leave when she heard her co-workers talk in an annoyed, almost distressed voice.

“What is that Shelby doing here?”

“I have no idea, it’s ridiculous! Nowhere in this city is safe from Peaky Blinders anymore.”

Shelby? Here? Did he…?

She quickly picked up her purse and made her way out of the building. And sure enough, in the alley by the entrance stood Thomas Shelby, coat buttoned up in a chilly evening, cap hiding a portion of his face but it was still unmistakably him, smoking a cigarette, as per usual. Prue sighed and walked over to him.

“Good evening,” he greeted her.

“Good evening,” she greeted back before asking the obvious. “What are you doing here?”

“I’m waiting for you.”

“Because of the conversation earlier today? It could have waited, you know.”

He didn’t answer. Instead, he finished his cigarette and offered her an arm. “Let’s walk, shall we?”

Prue didn’t have much choice here but it wasn’t like she was going to reject the offer anyway. She accepted his arm and as they were leaving, she could feel the shocked looks on her back. Coming to work tomorrow will certainly be interesting.

There’s been silence between them for a while, as if none of them wanted to bring up the topic they were discussing in the morning. And Prue most definitely wasn’t going to push him.

“I’ve talked to Polly,” he said finally. She waited if he’ll continue but nothing was happening. Not wanting to play any of his games today, she took charge.

“And what did you find out?”

“Do you know what does it mean, to be seen publicly with a Shelby?”

Prue furrowed her brow. Steering away from the topic again. “If you talk about the ladies at the workplace who gave us looks, I can take that. I can take people looking at me wrong, it’s their business, not mine.”

“No, it’s my business to make sure no one looks at you wrong. And that you are safe from whoever may be looking at you right now.”

“What was the point of showing up at the door of my workplace then? Are you trying to teach me a lesson?” Prue was getting annoyed. If he was strolling the streets with her arm in arm only to show her how dangerous it is, she had no need for that today.

“No.”

“What is it, then?” She stopped in her tracks and pulled him aside where they weren’t in plain sight of the entire street. It got dark already and the cap’s peak was shading Tommy’s eyes. She wanted to look him in the face unobscured when they talked.

“Can you take that thing off?” He didn’t protest and took off his cap, tucking it in his coat pocket. His eyes looked almost sad. Prue took his face into her hands, the same way she did in the morning.

“Just talk to me, Tom. I can’t read minds. I can’t read in between the lines when there are no lines to begin with. Just tell me what is it. And for the love of God, don’t bring up my safety or my mother again. Tell me what is it you want.”

He sighed and brought his own hands on top of hers. They were cold from the late autumn air.

“You said you were in love. Polly said the same and she is never wrong.”

A pause. He wasn’t hesitant about what he was about to say. He was only looking for the right words.

“Is this really what you want, Prue? Us?”

She looked into his eyes, gentle but serious. “Only if you want the same, Tommy.”

The silence filled the space between them. He blinked slowly and nodded. “Yeah. I do.”

Prue gave him a soft smile and caressed his cheeks. “I love you. No ladies at work, strangers on the street or my mother’s bad fortunes can do anything about it. Alright?”

Tommy didn’t say a word. Instead, he cradled her face in the same manner she held his and brought them together for a kiss. Prue felt the warmth spreading from the lips to her entire body – it felt exactly like the unspoken words that never got to leave his tongue. The kiss lasted forever and she didn’t want it to end. She brought her hands to the back of his head, fingers running through his hair, leaning into the touch of cold palms on her cheeks. When they finally parted, they were both breathless, lost in each other’s eyes at the corner of the evening street.

“Let’s go,” said Tommy, taking her by the elbow again.

“Where to?”

“The Garrison.”

They didn’t get to the Garrison.

***

Tommy’s bedroom was dimly lit by the lights from the late-night street, casting long shadows on the walls. They laid in bed, limbs tangled under the quilt, Tommy’s head resting against Prue’s chest, her arms wrapped around him in a warm embrace.

“I don’t know if I can give you exactly what you’d expect of this, of us…,” he whispered in a raspy voice, eyes closed, almost asleep. “I am a bad fortune after all. A gypsy who stole you away.”

She shuffled as she pulled the blanket higher to cover them both and started playing with his hair. The smell of tobacco and lavender tickled her nose.

“I don’t care about fortunes, as long as I have you. And you have me.”

“Hm…,” his hands found her back, to pull closer, to lean into that pleasant heat shared between two naked lovers. “Will you stay?”

A moment of silence.

“They won’t come when you are here.”

Prue knew what he meant by those words and what demons haunted him at night when he was alone and vulnerable. But she was here now and he was peacefully in her arms. She will hold him through anything that life decides to throw their way.

She planted a kiss on top of his head.

“I’ll stay.”

[sunflowersunshinevol6]

Hello Harry

Part 2

Pairing: Harry Styles x Fem OC

Warnings: smut, prostitution, infidelity

A/N: hope you all enjoy this. Feedback always appreciated

-Shay

Part one

Camille's in the kitchen when he gets home. The moment he sees her the guilt he has felt plaguing him the whole drive home disappears, replaced with the hurt and anger yet again.

"Welcome home baby," she says cheerfully, as if she hasn't a care in the world. She comes to him, arms open, only to give a confused 'hmm' when he rejects her arms.

"We need to talk." He says flatly. She can tell something's wrong.

"Anything baby-"

"Don' call me tha'." He snaps. He sighs, rubbing his hand over his face, trying to figure out how to have this conversation. :I met Marie today." He uses her fake name, wondering if she had ever told Camille her real one. From the look on her face he can tell she never did.

"Oh...Harry please let me-"

"Why weren't you honest with me?"

"What could I say? That I paid a prostitute to teach me how to please you? Do you realize how humiliating that is?"

"If you wanted tips you could have read a fucking Cosmo for fucks sake Camille! You paid her to teach you tricks. Did you really do that for me or-" he can't bring himself to say it, his whole body rolling with rage, his hands shake at his sides, eyes burning with unshed tears.

"Harry." She reaches up but he jerks just out of her reach. "Harry it was for you...I never....I would never-"

"I'm moving out." He says flatly, surprising even himself. "I can't....I can't be here." He pushes past her towards the bedroom they once shared, painful memories of love and laughter, intimacy fill his mind as he packs a bag and throws it over his shoulder.

"Harry please dont do this," she begs as he walks towards the door. The slamming of it as he leaves his final word on the matter.

He doesn't really have anywhere to go, not at the moment. But he knows the motels around the place well enough to find somewhere to sleep. Or not sleep as the case may be. He can't really imagine resting right now, he feels too much to let go of wakefulness.

He can't really see being with Camille anymore, even though he still loves her, he can't look at her without thinking of Prudence, of what she's paid her for.

And what he has paid her to do.

He feels...not bad about it, his relationship was over before he paid a stranger to blow him. But he feels weird, like there was more to it, something about their meeting that wasn't finished when he found out the truth about Camile, and came down Rudi's throat. Something that hung there in the air after they'd said goodbye.

Rudi.

Where the hell did that come from?

Harry flips a thin motel pillow over his face, blocking out the flashing neon.

Sleep.

Sleep. Now.

Fuck.

Doors bang along the balcony of the motel the ice machine rumbles to itself and cars howl past on the freeway. Harry flips onto his front and buries his face in the stale bedding, the sheets itch at his naked back. He misses his bed, but missing that leads to missing other things. His home, his girl, his entire previous existence.

He wishes he'd gone for a place with a mini-bar. If he's going to be this pathetic he might as well be drunk.

Voices cross the walkway outside of his room. He cracks an eye at the clock on the wall – 4 am. The voices get nearer, a deep rough voice, taunting and cruel.

"C'mon Jezebel...come here..." indistinct shuffling and the bang of a thin door crashing against the wall in the room next to his own. Great. A lighter thud as someone, presumably the 'Jezebel' in question – "How much? How much for you...like this?" A man growled almost against the the paper thin walls "You suddenly worth more? Someone been filling your head with nonesense?" the laugh again. "Get on your knees, two hundred girl, you're going to work for it." Harry officially gives up on sleep at the first moan.

It's unpleasant, the guys voice is like a raspy like he smokes too many cigarettes. He keeps up a steady commentary, barking the occasional 'Faster' or the slightly more unpleasant 'God like that, fuck' which ruins about eight of Harry's childhood memories. After a long long time, the strangled groans of appreciation grown in both volume and frequency, ending in a growled out 'Fuck!' and then, blissful silence until...

"Swallow."

Harry wishes for death, or at least alcohol, now with more sincerity than before. He really should have factored in cheap hotel = hookers and loud sex. Clearly he wasn't thinking. Since he's going to be awake he figures he might as well stop pretending. He noticed a coke machine at the end of the walkway earlier and so he gets up, flicks on the TV and pulls on his pants, searching for change. He's ducking out the door when he hears it, on the walkway.

"Not worth two hundred, was it Jezebel" the voice has gotten, if anything, more unpleasant. Pressing and dangerously low. "What am I going to do with you?"

"Nothing you haven't paid for." Replies a a sharp and annoyed tone. Harry freezes, because it isn't a bimbo's voice, it's Prudence.

Small fucking world huh?

"You should only be using that mouth to suck my dick." Snarls the man.

Harry opens the door, telling himself that this isn't his business, but that he has to intervene.

A man, a little taller than Prudence, but thicker with muscle and wearing the long dark coat and expensive suit of a businessman has her backed against the railing just outside his door. Prudence is bravely trying not to shiver in the night air, despite the fact that it's drizzling and she's still in the thin T-shirt and jeans she was wearing earlier.

"Can I help you?" the asshole snaps. Prudence looks at Harry with faint surprise and perhaps a trace of relief.

"No but..." Harry's mind works quickly. "well...'Jezebel' and I? We have an outstanding appointment...don't we?" he tries to be gross and sleezy, slightly smirking, hoping he's pulled it off. The guy looks at him a moment longer, then backs away, scoffing.

"This bitch isnt worth it." He confides, he slaps Prudence's ass, causing her to flinch, jerking away.

Harry ignores him, waiting instead for the man to leave, getting into a silver BMW on the other side of the parking lot.

"You ok Rudi?" Prudence frowns at the name but nods, a smile curving her mouth but not reaching her eyes.

"Yes, thank you...I always expect the worst from Benjamin."

"He seems like a dick"

Harry doesn't really know what to say to that. Because sleeping with reasonable, nice person is one thing, getting shoved around by vicious pricks at the break of dawn in a sleazy motel...he feels sorry for her.

"You want to...I don't know, come in, for a while?" She pauses, hesitating on the walkway. "Not for...just to get it together? I'll give you a ride home if you want."

A genuine smile, small but bright, spread across her face.

"Thank you Harry"

It's a little awkward. She stands just inside the doorway, the tv on low, the glowing light illuminating her face with shadows. Harry can see she's shivering.

"You can use the blanket if you wan'" he says, gesturing towards the bed. She smiles with gratitude, not saying anything she walks over to the bed, pulling the cheap duvet up and around herself. Harry clears his throat. "I'm sorry...I don't know what to say."

"It's alright. You don't have to say anything." Harry nods, a thick knot growing in his throat, he swallows hard, thinking about her mouth, the way she had worked him to release earlier, his lip twitches. She seems to sense where his mind is going.

"Do you-?" She doesn't finish. He knows what she's asking.

"No. No I'm okay." He mentally slaps himself. He doesnt want to be that guy. He won't be.

"You don't have to be a gentleman."

"I take it you're not used to that?" She shrugs.

"Some of the guys are nice. The women can be sweet sometimes....but it's like a facade. They don't want to 'be like the rest' they play a game but we both know what they're there for and after a few minutes it's all the same."

"Why do it? I mean...do you enjoy it?" His cheeks heat up awkwardly. He's not sure why he's asking her this.

"Are you asking because of our encounter earlier?" Shit. She caught him.

"You seemed pretty into it." She smiles, laughing lightly. It's nice, helps him relax a bit.

"I was. It's rare that I get to enjoy myself like that but....it's more of a job to pay for what I really do."

"And what's that?"

"I paint." This surprises him. He never expected that she could be....so normal. Is that the right word. "My dad....he always encouraged me to follow my heart."

"Does he know what you do to support yourself?" She shakes her head.

"No. My dad....we havent talked in a while." The way she says it leaves no room for more questions. She shuts down the conversation. Harry nods. Rudi lays back, opening the duvet to him. "Do you mind if I sleep here? Just for a few hours? I'm exhausted. I promise to keep my hands to myself." He chuckles, laughing for the first time in what felt like ages.

"A few hours." He agrees. He lays down, making sure to keep his distance as best he can. He stares at the ceiling, listening to her as she quickly falls asleep. He turns his head. She looks peaceful, the dark shadows under her eyes standing out against her skin but she almost looks like a child sleeping soundly. It doesn't take him long to follow suit, falling into fitful slumber.

[calibansprincessx]

Hell is Hot- CH 5 The Announcement

As always tag hell is hot will bring up all the chapters for this. This is my longest and most anticipated chapter so I hope I did it justice for you guys I hope you enjoy it! @kanakalala458 @elizaglad @queenhumanoid @lachicademarcasrojas

I woke up and got ready for school and though yesterday was a lot I was so ready for today. I went downstairs for breakfast and greeted everyone.

“Morning everyone.” I said cheerfully grabbing some toast, egg and taking a seat.

“Morning dearie.” Aunt Hilda said as she was making herself a cup of tea.

“Morning Sabrina, you and Ambrose got in quite late last night.” She said peaking over her newspaper.

“Good morning cousin. I actually have to speak to you in private.” Ambrose said nervously feeling all eyes on him.

“Hold on dearies before you toddle off I have an announcement.” Aunt Hilda says excitedly. “Dr Cee proposed! We’re getting married! Of course we haven’t picked a date or worked out any of the details, but I really wanted to tell you guys. Now that everything with those pesky pagans is over with I can properly tell you all.” She says happy and nervous waiting for a response.

We all look back and forth at each other.

“Aunt Hilda, are you feeling okay? I thought— well I thought Dr Cee was gone.” I said hoping not to upset her.

She started giggling, which ensued more nervous looks between Aunt Zelda, Ambrose and I. “I’m so sorry everyone was so busy last night I forgot to say anything. Dr Cee is quite alright, I just gave him a good fright and wrapped him up for later.”

“What? That’s fantastic news Auntie I’m so happy for you!” I said jumping up to wrap my arms around her.

Aunt Zelda put down her newspaper. “Well while we’re announcing things I supposed I have one as well. I asked Mambo Marie to stay on and help with the academy.”

“Wow, I’m so happy how everything is coming together.” I said cheerfully.

“Oh doll I completely forgot how big of a day this was for you. Are you nervous? Do you want a bit of lavender tea to calm the nerves before you go off for the day?” Aunt Hilda said worrisome.

“Oh no Auntie I’m fine, I’m excited actually. Today is my last final normal day before everything changes. I mean of course I’ll still be going to school here and the academy but I’ll have to take some time off to learn my duties in Hell. I’ll also be moving to hell after my coronation today. I guess I am kind of nervous but I’m just happy everything’s progressing.”  I felt like I was rambling. I mean I was nervous but also excited.

Aunt Hilda started crying.

“Oh auntie don’t cry, everything’s okay.” I said in a soothing voice that quickly turned into a hopeful and worried voice. “”Aunt Z I have one last favor to ask you.”

“What is it Sabrina?” Aunt Zelda said urging me to spit it out.

“I know among midwifery, you can also ordain weddings. Would you be able to marry Caliban and I before the third challenge today?” I said hopeful and very ready to get the third degree instead of a positive response.

Tears begin to brim in Aunt Zelda and Aunt Hilda’s eyes once more.

“I knew you were getting married but I didn’t expect this, of I will Sabrina. You really are finding your own path, just like Edward said.” She said tearfully and determinedly.

“Oh aunties everything’s okay, really. I love you guys. I have to go before I’m late for school. Thank you Aunt Z.” I give them kisses on the cheek before I head out the front door.

On the porch Ambrose stops me as I’m walking away. “Cousin? Can I just steal a moment of your time?” He says worriedly.

“Of course Ambrose, what’s going on?” I said nervously reapproaching him.

He begins to pat his knuckles together looking for words. “So I’m just gonna come right out and say it. I told Nick of your alignment to Caliban. Now— now before you get mad it was an honest accident cousin.”

“What! Ambrose how? What did you say?” I wasn’t as upset as I was coming off and I think that bothered me more than Ambrose actually telling Nick.

“I saw him in the hallway after he left Dorian’s, he was smashed. He was venting about you and Caliban, so I assumed you told him of the alignment and he wasn’t taking it well. I blurted it out, I am truly sorry cousin.” He said sincerely.

“It’s okay, Ambrose” I said brushing off any feelings I had toward the situation.

“Really?” Ambrose said hopeful.

“Yeah, of course. I couldn’t hide it from him forever and it was probably better coming from you. I’m off though I’m gonna be late, I’ll see you later.” I said before teleporting to school so I wasn’t late.

School went by as normal as possible and it was such a relief, but now I had to find a way to tell everyone about the wedding. We were all walking in the halls and I stopped dead in my tracks realizing I couldn’t go any further until I told them.

They turn around with concerned facial expression and my heart sinks.

“Sabrina?” Roz says confused.

I looked down and back up at them, it was so hard to look at them like this. “So I know this is weird and sudden and it’s not a big deal and I’m not making a big deal out of it but will you guys come to my wedding?”

They were very clearly taken aback and I was ready for the blowback.

“Wedding?” Harvey stuttered.

“I mean we knew you were marrying Caliban but we thought it was going to be more of a straightforward political hell sort of thing” Theo says while Harvey’s still in shock.

“I need to marry him before the third challenge so there’s no way the Dark Lord can detest it and we can be coronated together.” I pleaded with hopeful eyes.

“Of course we’ll be there.” Roz said nudging the group with her eyes to be supportive. “When is it?”

I looked around nervously. “I still have to tell Caliban, I came up with the idea this morning at breakfast. We’re going to do it in the woods where I was born around five. Also Roz I hate to ask but can you cover in school for me for a week while I’m in Hell learning my new duties?” I was once again pleading for support.

“Of course—“ Roz starts before Harvey interrupts.

“Wait so now we won’t even see you for a week? ‘Brina are you even coming back?” Harvey says clearly upset.

“Harvey relax, I’ll be back in school in a week. I will come visit during that week but I need to be in Hell to learn my new duties, new powers and see how my alignment with Caliban works. Okay guys I have to go see Caliban, I will see you guys later.” I said walking off in a hurry with my head held high. The emotions of others were beginning to be so much.

*In Hell*

Of course he’s in the library. “Caliban!” I called out to him.

“Hello princess are you ready for the third regalia already?” He said he was pleased to see me while closing his book.

“No actually, I need you.” I said with more urgency than intended.

“Oh my queen I see we decided to indulge in our carnal side I see.” He said smirking down as he closed the gap between us and brought his up to caress my face and neck. I could feel the heat, the blush appearing on my skin.

“No Caliban I need you to come to the mortal realm so we can get married. My Aunt Zelda will perform the ceremony where I was born and signed my name in the Book Of The Beast, an unholy place.” I said determined trying to shake off all the lust coursing through my body.

“Why the changes of plans princess? With such haste might I add. Can’t wait to marry me?” He said in a flirty tone bringing his face close to mine. I could feel the warmth of his body and breath and it took everything in me to keep my composure. I don’t know why I was so infatuated with him. Caliban also just managed to see so intoxicating.

“I want to get married before the third challenge so there is absolutely no way my father can thwart our marriage and covenant. After the ceremony is finished we will head down here to finish the regalia.” I said rushing as if we were out of time. He didn’t seem to mind or worry about my urgency which was sort of relieving.

He walked away without saying anything, to the other end of the library. I stared at him confused as he opened a book, grabbed something from it and walked back.

“Shall we go, my lady” he looked at me as if he could never get tired of the look casted upon my face.

“Wait what did you grab?” I said I was still confused.

“Well I grabbed the rings of course, my queen. It isn’t official without the rings, correct?” He said smiling but it was genuine question but all I could do is admire how beautiful they were. His ring a complete band of black opal and mine a silver band with a beautiful oval fire opal sitting right in the middle.

“Wow Caliban these are beautiful. Wow thank you, this is really really sweet.” I said beaming at him noticing such a genuine smile on his face for maybe the first time, nothing hidden behind it just a genuine smile.

“I’m glad they please you my queen I forged then in the Pits Of Hell, just like your favorite king.” He said winking at me before transporting us to the Spellman house in flames.

When I walked inside I began to speak before I noticed the whole coven was there.

“Hey Aunt Z— what is going on?” I said walking slower and further into the home.

“Well honestly Sabrina you didn’t think we weren’t going to invite the coven to your big, did you? Aunt Hilda has prepared all the food and is in the forest now setting up with Ambrose and the others. We are on our way to bring the remaining items out. You two need to change before the ceremony. Of course I knew you wouldn’t be prepared so I went ahead and got both of you something to wear. Sabrina, dear your dress is in your bedroom hanging on your mirror, your king’s attire is on your bed. Don’t be long we will be ready shortly.”

I stood there in sort of disbelief. I wasn’t trying to make a huge deal out of this but I am not surprised Aunt Zelda did. As they were all walking out Prudence smirked at me and caressed Caliban’s chest as she walked out of the door saying, “Wow Spellman you really upgraded fast.”

I felt a twinge of guilt in the pit of my stomach. I didn’t mean to move on fast. This was supposed to strictly be a political alignment but somehow Caliban and I just continued to get closer and it felt like there was no stopping it. I shook all those thoughts from my head and called after her.

“Prudence!” I yelled running on the porch.

“Yes, Sabrina?” She turned around with a smirk still plastered on her face.

“Will you do me a favor and be my maid of honor and carry the rings for me?” I said promisingly holding the rings out in my hand.

She took them smiling slightly at me, “Of Course Sabrina.” She tried not to sound proud. We both walked off and Caliban and I went to go inside and get ready.

The attire Aunt Z picked out was beautiful. I don’t know how she found the time to get all of this done, I was starting to get excited to see the actual ceremony. The dress was black and lacey. It was long sleeve and cascaded around my body, it had an open back a little train on it. I don’t think I’ve ever felt so beautiful. Aunt Zelda also left me a beautiful crown with the phases of the moon on it to wear.

Caliban walked in after I sent him to the bathroom to get dressed and I tried hard not to let my jaw drop. He wore form fitting black slacks, a silk black button up with a black blazer.

He spoke first, which is good because I couldn’t find words. “My lady, you look ravishing.” He said smiling down on me. It was genuine and beautiful but had a hint of lust behind it like he could devour me whole right there. I swear I swallowed a lump in my throat.

“You don’t look so bad yourself, Caliban. We should probably head over.” I said playing it cool.

“As you wish, my darling” he said grabbing my hand and interlocking our fingers.

The ceremony was absolutely gorgeous. The wedding was white with dark accents and worship to Hecate around the altar. The ground was littered in black rose petals which contrasted against the white chairs in which everybody sat. Off to the side there is a whole table full of cake, vegetable pies, tons of sides and a large turkey. Aunt Zelda stood at the altar and called out to Prudence who was off to the side of us to begin. Prudence began bounding Caliban’s and I hands to each other, the ones that were interlocked— in colorful rope braided together. Prudence shooed us down the aisle as Aunt Zelda began reading our vows.

“On this day Hekate we give you praise and honor.

We thank you for all that you have done,

All that you are doing and all that you will do.

May you torches ever shine bright on the path

These two walk as they join in union under your moon.

Thank you dark mother Hekate.”

We walked up to the altar as Aunt Zelda finished the vows. Prudence walked up and joined behind me.

“Sabrina Spellman and Caliban you are bound as one. Do you both take each other as one? Wife and husband? Queen and King?”

“I do” we say in unison.

“Prudence, the rings” Aunt Zelda gestures.

Prudence brings the rings over and with our free hand we place them on each other’s wedding fingers.

“Sabrina here we have the very broom your parents jumped over when they married. By jumping over this broom you will signify the sweeping of old and beginning a new. Beginning a new life, new love, new home and new intercourse.”

My  mouth tried not to drop to the floor as Aunt Zelda talked about jumping the broom symbolizing my new love and new sex life to Caliban.

Caliban and I jump the broom. “Under the Goddess Hekate , thy three-in-one I pronounce Sabrina and Caliban husband and wide.

Aunt Zelda came down from the altar and gave me a sweet embrace. “Congratulations Sabrina.”

I smiled at her. “Thank you Aunt Z.”

“Now everybody come line up and eat.” Aunt Zelda hollered directing everyone to the food table.

“Caliban I’ll be right back.” I said dashing off to see Theo, Roz and Harvey.

I crumpled them into a hug. “Thank you guys for coming.”

“Yeah, wow Sabrina it was amazing. I’m so happy for you, if you're happy.” Roz said

“Yeah I didn’t think it was gonna be like this but you know my Aunt Zelda.” I said laughing.

“I’m proud of you Sabrina just don’t forget about us.” Theo said.

“Oh stop I could never.” I said still sort of giggling.

Harvey wouldn’t even make eye contact with me. Roz nudged him. He sighed. “Yeah I’m really happy for you ‘Brina.”

I pulled him into an embrace. “Thanks Harvey.”

“Listen guys I mainly wanted you to come because now I have to go finish the regalia so I wanted to get all my hugs and byes for now in.” I said pulling them back into an embrace.

“We love you.” Roz and Theo said in unison.

“I love you guys too, I gotta go say bye to everyone else.”

“Beautiful wedding cousin!” Ambrose said stuffing cake in his face.

I just laughed and made my way toward Aunt Hilda and Aunt Zelda. “Thank you guys so much for everything, I love you. I have to go finish the regalia and I promise I’ll be back as soon as possible.”

“Good luck Sabrina.” Aunt Zelda says trying to hold back tears.

“Oh love, I’m so proud of you.” Aunt Hilda says crying and pulling me into a hug.

I walk away and rejoin Caliban. “Okay let’s go back to the house, change our clothes and go finish the regalia.”

“Yours to command, my wife.” He said transporting her back to the house.

We changed into our clothes before the wedding and transported to hell.

*In Hell*

The Infernal court is in session and it seems to be waiting on us.

“My challenger and I are ready for the third challenge in the Unholy Regalia.” I speak strong and clear.

“Ah daughter privy of you to show up. It is time for you to win this challenge and secure the throne for the house of Morningstar.” Lucifer says walking down towards more.

I can feel Caliban wishes to not leave my side but he lingers back and confers with the three kings.

“That prince of clay will never find Judas’ silver.” Lucifer says whispering to Lilith and I.

“What makes you so sure?” I say trying not to sound defensive of my new husband.

“Because Judas himself is the only person who knows where it is and I’m like one person who can take you to Judas.” Lilith cuts him off before he gets ahead of himself.

“Careful Dark Lord Sabrina must complete the task on her own. Any help from you in front of the Kings of Hell and the challenge could be deemed a forfeit.” Lilith says absolutely.

The Dark Lord and I share a conversation only we can hear, telling me where to find Judas Iscariot. When I get there Caliban is already there.

“Ah what took you so long, my lady?” He said getting off a rock he was sitting on.

“Caliban? How did you get here so fast?”

He goes to pull me close to him with my hips. “I have my ways, wife. I’ll show you all in due time.”

“Okay let’s ask Judas where his silver is. I will go retrieve it, wait here for me. When I get back I will leave first and once I announce our alignment follow in.” I say determined.

“Darling there’s no need. There are two way to get Judas’s silver. One, by betraying someone you love with a kiss or two by seeking it out.” He says knowingly and proudly.

“Well the first one isn’t going to work so where do I go to seek it out?” I feel like I should know this since he does.

“Judas’s silver is buried in a crypt with the first vampire, deep beneath the Field of Blood.”

“Okay, if you tell me I’m about to meet Dracula—“ I begin before Caliban interrupts knowingly.

“No, his name is Vlad the Impaler. The pieces are in a bag at his side. Open a portal to his tomb.” Caliban said. “Be careful Sabrina, I’ll be waiting.”

I make it to his tomb and find the silver clasped in his hands, I walk away and begin to count it.

“Listen to my voice. Hear my words. Your thoughts and your will belong to me, and only me, now. Say you understand.” Vlad speaks.

“I understand.” My mouth speaks with no will.

“Did my father send you?”

“No… Judas did.”

“Judas is my father. The father of vampires. What’s your name, girl?”

“Sabrina.”

“You’re very beautiful, Sabrina. Say thank you.”

“Thank you.”

“You’re going to let me drink your blood and feast on your flesh, aren't you?”

“Of course.” I continue to speak with no will.

“That’s a good girl.” Vlad begins to move my hair away from my neck “Your neck is so very… very…” he sinks his teeth into my neck. Vlad bellows and I am out of his spell.

“Your blood! It burns!” He screams out. “You’re a celestial?” He says falling onto his back.

“My father was an angel. I have his blood. Also? Consent. It’s real.” I kick Vlad and walk off .

I got back to Judas Iscariot and Caliban is still waiting for me. “Hey I got it! Let’s head back.”

*Back in Court*

I walked in and up to the throne. “The challenge has been won. The third challenge of the Unholy Regalia is mine.”

“Congratulations daughter, you bring honor to your house. It is time once again for your coronation. Are you at last ready?” Lucifer speaker while the court murmurs.

“I am but I must address the court first.” I stand front and center to address the court. “I will not be coronated alone. My challenger Caliban—“ Caliban enters and walks to join me up near the throne. “—and I have signed and covenant and wed. We will be coronated together as King and Queen of Hell.”

The Kings start shouting and cheering as the court murmurs get louder.

“What?” Lucifer and Lilith say in unison.

“Daughter, I will not allow this.” Lucifer whispers to me.

“Dark Lord let me speak with her for a moment.” Lilith pulls me to the side. “Sabrina, I was your regent how could you not discuss this with me?” Lilith was genuinely hurt. “The Dark Lord will have no use for me if you have a long standing kingdom and children of your own.” And genuinely scared.

“Kids? Lilith I am 17 I am not thinking about children right now. I am thinking about balancing the realms. Don’t worry Lilith I am queen now, I will not let my father harm you. I need you. I know we’ve had a rocky relationship but I’ve appreciated all the help along the way.” I speak genuinely feeling bad for overlooking her feelings so many times.

“Sabrina you don’t understand. Lucifer can not be fought.” Lilith said scared to be heard by the Dark Lord.

“I am queen now. I won the Unholy Regalia and even he can’t cross that. What I say is law and he will abide or I will find another Acheron to hold him. Let’s go back up there.” I speak boldly.

“Sabrina this is unheard of. I will not allow this. Morningstar’s do not marry. If you wish to have a sex pet that is fine but we do not marry our whores.” Lilith winces hearing how my father speaks of her.

“Father he is not my pet or my whore. You do not have to allow this. I won the Unholy Regalia and I am Queen of Hell. I will not stand for disrespect of me, my choices, Caliban or Lilith. She is much more than what you make her out to be and I will continue to need her guidance, so you will respect her while I am on the throne.” I speak with so much pride in my voice.

I turn to address Lilith, “Can you please prepare Caliban and I for our coronation?”

Lilith grins. “I will get you ready, my queen. I will have others get Caliban ready.”

“Thank you, Lilith. You are relieved as your duty of regent and you don’t have to call me Queen.” I said smiling as I walked down to follow her to prepare for my coronation. 

[chemicalcindercat]

Lydia couldn't see his face or eyes, but she could hear the hurt in his voice. She just didn't really care at the moment. "Don't 'but' me! I have to find my bag before school tomorrow, and I can't find it anywhere! I don't have time for your games." She tossed an old textbook over her shoulder, and it landed on her bed with a soft thump. "If I don't find it, not only will my grades drop, but Claire will make sure the entire school knows about it!" Lydia paused her search and turned to face Beetlejuice. "If you aren't going to help me look for it, then just go! Get out!"

Chapters: 1 (1,850 words)

Fandom: Beetlejuice (mostly based on the 1989 cartoon, but can be read for the movie or musical as well)

Rating: G

Relationships: Beetlejuice & Lydia Deetz

Additional Tags: Light Angst, Surprises, Lydia is upset, Guilt, Angst and feels, Angst with a happy ending, apologies

Lydia had a bad day. That was a nice way of putting it. Really, it had been more than "bad", it was one of the worst days she had had since she met Beetlejuice. In fact, she realized as she stuffed her face into a pillow, ever since her and Beetlejuice became best friends, she hadn't had a single day that wasn't fun. She adored Beetlejuice, and his pranks, and everything about him, but today he had gone too far.

The day hadn't started too bad. Actually, it was a normal day at first, waking up on time and going downstairs to enjoy breakfast after taking a nice shower. It was when Beetlejuice showed up that things took a turn for the worst.

Lydia had just ran to her room to grab her bag, when she saw him in the mirror. She grinned as he pulled his eyelids down and stuck his tongue out. "Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice!" She called.

"Heeeeeeya Babes!" Beetlejuice shouted as he came in through the mirror.

"Hey, BJ, what's up?" She asked, looking around for her bag.

"Ohhhhhh, nothinggggg, just wanted to say hello to my best friend!" He said, grabbing her shoulders and winking.

Lydia giggled. "Uh...Okay, Beetlejuice. Hello to you too," she said. "Hey, have you seen my bag? I gotta get to school, and I can't find it…"

"Hmm? What bag? I haven't seen a bag! Definitely no bag here!"

Lydia looked at Beetlejuice, puzzled.

"...Beetlejuice, what are you hiding?" She asked cautiously.

"Me? Hiding something? From you? I'd never do that, Babes! Uh-uh! Nope!" Beetelejuice shook his head wildly, and then batted his eyelashes at Lydia. Lydia just stared at him, not able to shake the feeling something was off. Beetlejuice was acting…weird. Was he lying to her? She was sure he'd never lie to her, but it sure seemed like he was…

Suddenly Lydia heard a clock chime from downstairs.

"Oh no! I'm going to be late!" She glanced around one more time, before sighing. "I'm just going to have to go without it, I guess…" She looked sad, before turning around running downstairs.

Beetlejuice watched for a minute, before wiping his brow.

"Phew! That was a close one!"

Then he followed her.

School wasn't any better. Lydia was indeed late to school, by 15 minutes, and even when she tried to sneak in unnoticed, Claire made sure that everyone knew Lydia was late.

"Eeeeyuck! Look, everyone! Lydia's late! Like, sooo late she missed turning in homework! Ahahahahaha!" Claire cackled.

"Well, Lydia, I assume you have a good excuse as to why you're almost 20 minutes late to class?" Ms.Shannon asked. "But first, please hand over your homework."

"Um...Well, you see…" Lydia mumbled, looking at the ground. "I, uh...Couldn't find my bag, and it has my homework in it…"

"That is the lamest excuse I have ever heard!" Claire said, slapping her desk from laughing so hard. The rest of the class, except Bertha and Prudence, (Lydia's best friends,) joined in. Lydia just stood in the front of the classroom, absolutely humiliated.

"Class, class," said Ms.Shannon, "That's enough of that! Everyone, quiet down! Lydia, please take a seat, and stop disturbing the class." She said sternly.

"Yes, Ms.Shannon." Said Lydia sadly as she went to her desk.

The class continued normally for everyone except Lydia. In order to try and cheer her up, Beetlejuice kept messing with her textbooks, replacing the historical figures in the history textbooks, blowing stuff up in the science textbooks, making the math equations dance, and rearranging the letters in the language arts textbooks. Lydia couldn't focus one bit, and got into trouble multiple times with her teachers. She had to go in for lunch detention for not having her homework, (she hadn't had it the day before, either, because her bag had a hole in it, and the homework had fallen out.) and she had to stay after school for detention as well, because she had whisper-shouted at Beetlejuice when he wouldn't leave her alone. By the time she got home, she was beyond frustrated with the Ghost With the Most.

"Ayy, Babes, I got it!" Exclaimed Beetlejuice as he floated around her room. "Let's pull a prank! How about…" Beetlejuice thought for a second, before his head turned into a phone. "I know! Let's do some prank calls! It's a classic, you know I love 'em!" He picked up his phone-head with his hand, dialing a random number.

"No, Beetlejuice! We aren't doing a prank call! We aren't pranking anyone right now! I'm very upset right now, and I have to find my bag by the end of the day! So unless you're going to do anything useful for once, just go!" Lydia shouted, frantically throwing things out of bins as she searched for her missing object. Maybe if she hadn't been so busy chucking an old shirt across the room, she would have seen the look in Beetlejuice's eyes as she yelled at him.

"But...Babes…"

Lydia couldn't see his face or eyes, but she could hear the hurt in his voice. She just didn't really care at the moment. "Don't 'but' me! I have to find my bag before school tomorrow, and I can't find it anywhere! I don't have time for your games." She tossed an old textbook over her shoulder, and it landed on her bed with a soft thump. "If I don't find it, not only will my grades drop, but Claire will make sure the entire school knows about it!" Lydia paused her search and turned to face Beetlejuice. "If you aren't going to help me look for it, then just go! Get out!"

Beetlejuice just stood there, stunned.

"You heard me! Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice!" She yelled, and automatically her poltergeist friend was whisked out of her room and back to the Neitherworld.

All of that had happened over an hour ago. Now, Lydia lay on her bed, her face smooshed into a pillow. She had turned her room upside down, dumped out every bin and box she had, took everything off of her bed, and still no bag anywhere. The only difference between now and that morning was that Lydia's room now looked like a hurricane had hit it. She groaned into a pillow as she thought back to that morning, and how guilty Beetlejuice had sounded when he claimed he didn't know where her bag was. She knew he had something to do with it, and it frustrated her very much. Why wouldn't he just tell her where it was? And then distracting her… She usually found his pranks funny, but there's a time to make jokes, and a time to be serious. Beetlejuice had crossed the line.

…But then again, so did she.

Lydia felt terrible for how she yelled at Beetlejuice. She was upset, and she had every right to be, but she went too far. She had taken all of her anger for how bad the day went out on him. Granted, most of it was his fault, but he didn't have any control over the way Claire acted. (Plus, Lydia had been in Beetlejuice's mind before; She knew his willpower was very weak.)

Lydia slowly sat up, and went over to her mirror, lightly touching it. She wanted to apologize to him, but… she couldn't. She knew he was probably mad at her, and she just couldn't face him. Lydia went back to her bed and resumed her face-shmushing ritual.

Beetlejuice felt sick to his stomach. Never had he felt this way before. It was an awful feeling, one he hoped to never feel again, and it made him wanna throw up.

Guilt.

He was a problem. All he did was cause problems for Lydia all day, and he hated himself for it. He should've told her why he took her bag, but he hadn't wanted to ruin the fun of surprises. This, however, was worse. He went over to the mirror, reaching forwards, but then stopped himself and pulled back. He wanted to apologize, but he was afraid she would hate him for taking her bag. He didn't wanna see the look of disappointment on her face when she found out he was the cause for all of her problems that day, including Claire. Claire wouldn't have bothered Lydia at all if Lydia had her bag with her. Beetlejuice could just picture the look on her face, as she'd put her hands on her hips and say, "Honestly, Beetlejuice, I'm not mad, just disappointed. How could you do this to me?"

Beetlejuice went and picked up her back off of his nightstand. He looked down at it, at the object Lydia was most likely still looking for, and sighed. Whether he wanted to or not, Beetlejuice knew he had to go give it back to her, no matter how much she hated him for it. He took a deep breath, and floated over to the mirror.

"Knock knock?" He called, hiding the bag behind his back.

"Knock knock?" Lydia heard the familiar voice of her best friend come in through the mirror. She bolted upright instantly from where she had been laying down in her bed.

Lydia ran over to her mirror to see Beetlejuice looked at her sadly, with something hidden behind his back.

"Babes, look-"

"Beetlejuice-"

They started at the same time. Then they both laughed awkwardly.

"You can go first!"

"Uh...go ahead!"

Finally, they just stared at each other, until…

"I'm sorry!!" They both exclaimed, Beetlejuice shutting his eyes, and Lydia clenching her fists. Beetlejuice opened his eyes back up, and they were both very confused.

"Look, Lyds, I'm really sorry." Said Beetlejuice, pulling his hands out from behind him and thrusting something into her arms before she could see what it was. Lydia looked down to see her missing bag. "Beetlejuice…"

"I'm sorry, alright? I shouldn't have...have...taken it, and I definitely should never have...have lied to you! And...I'm really, really, sorry."

Lydia looked from the bag to Beetlejuice, and back again, before looked at Beetlejuice shocked.

"It's...It's fixed!" She exclaimed. The part of the bag that had originally had a hole in it was fixed, and the bag was as good as new, complete with her missing homework inside. "Beetlejuice, did you do this? Is that why you took my bag, so you could fix it?"

The ghost just nodded. "That's why I lied to you… I didn't wanna ruin the surprise."

Lydia wiped a few tears from her eyes. "Oh, Beetlejuice, I'm so sorry! I yelled at you so harshly, when you had only been trying to help! I'm...I'm the worst friend ever!"

"Are you kidding?" Asked Beetlejuice, as he reached through the mirror to hug her.

"You're the best friend I could ever have, Babes!"

Lydia sniffed. "Aww, thanks, Beetlejuice. Say, do you wanna do some prank calls now?"

Beetlejuice released the hug and gasped. "Really??"

"Yeah, sure!"

Beetlejuice leapt into the air, his head spinning, before he cried out, "It's Showtime!!"

[jj-lynn21]

Ch 1 When we were just a little Lass and Lad

This story came from an idea @grandpa-sweaters had from a picture of Gustaf Skarsgard looking like he could play Bert from Mary Poppins. I very much agree.  

Ch 2 destination cloud 9

ch 3 Somewhere on Cloud 9

Ch 4 where ever the magic may take us

ch 5 The End is just the Start of a New Beginning

Warning: Just a bunch of whimsical fluff to start off.

Ch 1 When we were just a little Lass and Lad

It has been a while since you have believed in magic, has it not? I bet it has. But somewhere deep down you still feel that sense of whimsical energy you had as a child. Let that child-like curiosity follow me in to the Long Ago. You might say, “but the long ago is a time, not a place Ms.”

I assure you it is a place. A wondrous place where any wonderful thing starts. A wonderful thing like my beginning. You may have heard of me in some story that probably exaggerated some of the times I helped the Banks family, my family. I am Mary Poppins. And I shall explain everything.

Where to start, where to start? Oh yes, a long time ago where many things of a whimsical nature start. I was more created than just born as most creatures are, I suppose. The first daughter of the land to magical enough parents who taught me not everyone would appreciate my perfectly positive personality. Half the time they could not understand my cheery disposition.

When it rained, I was happy the flowers, trees, and other plants were getting the drink they craved. Plus playing in puddles was quite a fun time even in your most fantastical dress. When the sun was too hot for some, I was happy to let it tan my porcelain skin to the golden color of bronze. Of course, I was liberal on the sunscreen on the daily. All the seasons and all the weather just nourished our little place in the universe.

I very much annoyed some people but not Bert Alfred. Oh, he can inspire a whimsical song out of anyone. Happy-go-lucky, satisfied, charming, friendly, kind, imaginative, energetic, funny, zany, easy-going, artistic, intelligent, insightful, optimistic, empathetic, endearing, heroic and I need to take a breath. He is my everything. Oh Bert, always my first love although my parents insisted it was of the puppy variety. I suppose it was the fact our talents complemented each other so well.

Bert was able to do anything really. A unique Jack of all trades. But we fell in love in his chalk drawing. Even as children when we met on my stoop while our parents discussed whatever whimsical notions, I was intrigued by his chalk drawings full of more than they appeared. At least when I came around. They did fret the first time we ventured into the unknown.

Flashback

“Hi,” A shy precocious eight-year-old Bert smiled sitting beside Mary.

A seven-year-old Mary giggled, “hello, I’m Mary. And you are Sir?”

He takes out a small box of colored chalk from the pocket in his button-up shirt. “I’m Bert,” he tittered before kneeling on the sidewalk starting to create a scene. He thought her white dress and parasol was cute but he was to shy to tell her.

Mary kneels beside him watching his every stroke. “Oh, I do enjoy the circus. Have you ever really been? Uncle Albert took me to one once.”

Bert shook his head no, as he continued to add a red and white tent behind the lion on a pedestal with the tamer close by urging the lion to sit pretty. He stood when he was finished moving his closed mouth back and forth in contemplation. He looked to his new friend Mary, “Would you want to go with me?”

“Oh dear Bert, could we?” She smiled excitedly. “When shall we go? Will your parents take us or will mine? Will they even say yes?...”

He laughed, “You sure do talk a lot, Mary.”

She stuck her tongue out at him, “I certainly do not. I am practically perfect in every way. Just ask my parents.”

Bert chuckled, “I’ll take your word, Mary. We can go right now. All we have to do is…” He looks down at the drawing. “Hold my hand.”

Mary takes his hand in amazement and wonder.

“You think, you wink, do a double blink, you close your eyes and jump.” Bert and Mary jump on the painting and giggle loudly.

The adults look out the window at them and laugh. They are so glad their children are having a whimsical time together. They go back to planning the every few centuries excursion to London. You must be an adult to go on these adventures so the children will be entrusted to take care of each other. Which they have always done in Long Ago. The majority of the caretaking done by the ones more closely to adulthood.

Mary straightens and looks to see if anyone is watching, I guess if we are not gone for long, I will show you how its done dear Bert. My Aunt Iris showed me but said we must keep it secret. Can you keep a secret Bert?”

He nodded yes, “My Aunt Tilly was the one that took me on my first adventure. I must have done something wrong.”

“No silly,” Mary giggled. “It is just a girl thing. Now take my hand. Its off to the circus we go. One, two…three.”

They jump into the chalk drawing. The lion roars and they run behind the tamer that is drawn like the cartoon character Goofy and acts like him also.

“By garsh, are you young ones alright,” He asked scratching his head since he didn’t see them there a second ago. “Whoa, there Mr. Lion. We have guests you see.”

The lion bows to them with a smile of acceptance.

The tamer walks over and pats him on the head, “good boy. How about some lunch.”

The lion nods full mane rustling enthusiastically.

“I’m Flaky Frank.” He bows to the kids cordially. “We have popcorn, hotdogs and cotton candy in the tent. And the big show is about to start if you two would like to like to join?”

As they walk into the tent a rhinoceros in a colorful suit is at a small booth, “Tickets for the show, get your tickets. Show starts in five minutes.”

“I’m Mary and my friend is Bert,” She said politely. “We would like two tickets please?”

“Sure thing, Lass and Lad.” He smiles. “And where are your guardians on this most auspicious occasion.”

“I am his guardian and he is mine, so we both have a great guardian you see,” She answered proudly.

“I see,” he nods and gives them tickets. “Better get a seat. It is about to fill up quickly.”

As soon as they sit balancing popcorn between their legs, cotton candy in one hand, and a hotdog in the other, the other seats in the bleachers do fill up quickly as in immediately with a variety of characters. Lions, tigers, bears, elephants, trapeze artists and tightrope walkers entertained, and everyone clapped. As the kids walked out of the tent thunderstruck. The rain started dripping. Then it started pouring.

“Grab my hand Bert,” Mary held her hand out to him.

Bert took her hand. Then he came nearer hugging her protectively. As they held each other shivering in the rain they were back in front of her home. The rain pours, lightning struck, thunder roared, and they were surrounded by their parents and other adults from The Long Ago.

End flashback

But soon it was forgotten by all but me and Bert. Bert just got more handsome as we grew up together. He was very popular dating many women including Mavis, Sybil, Prudence, and Gwendolyn to my chagrin. 

But being practically perfect in every way I ignored my feelings that some might have considered jealousy.  All the while I kept my eye on that silly boy, for his own good of course. It had nothing at all to do with his growth spurt and chest that looked like a nice place to rest your head on a summer’s eve. 

Flashback

As she prepared to head home she thought, That boy is just plane…

“Hey, Mary.” He acknowledged as he exited the college library seeing her astride her pink bicycle with her basket full of fairytales.

[clairyclue]

all flowers have to wilt one day (oh honey, dont i know it )

oc poem (her unanswered calls to god and talking to her best friend from the other side)

hello?

there’s a bottle of tylenol on the floor

and my heart doesn’t feel as heavy now. 

not my real heart—

the Heart that noticed you never called me your best friend

you were MINE. 

is that okay?

i don’t know if you’re still-

um-

on the line, but if you are

i want to tell you that we can

pretend my arms are around your 

shoulders while you sit in my bed 

i’m really dead, oh god. 

you didnt understand my grief 

but you mourned your family, in a way 

(how is nissy?

waverly?)

are you still there?

goodbye. for now. 

i’ll call again tomorrow. 

god wont answer my fucking calls

and i’m calling collect from this side of heaven 

and prudence, i just want to tell you i love you

not in a way i wanna use rings and share a life

but ive never kept a secret from you

are you listening?

it’s florence. again. 

(it’s always florence)

i didn’t make it to twenty-five. 

it feels like an echo chamber in here

prudey, i want to go home. 

you’re the only one looking for a call

please please please don’t forget me

i’ve been thinking all this time

can you mourn your own death?

maybe it’s my loss of mortality 

but i’ve also been thinking—

i really was a good friend, wasn’t i?

i would get scared sometimes because

because you seemed so different 

but maybe it was better when i was there

to piss you off

than you to be alone 

?

don’t sit in the auditorium 

not in my seat, row B chair 24

don’t watch the songs 

not the ones i used to dance with you too

(you hated it, i know)

don’t torture yourself, prudey

hey

maybe i’m getting okay at it?

you still can’t hear me

i know i know

how did i not think you loved me?

you called every day when i was in london 

you biker to the middle of nowhere 

because i told you she was dead

i wish you could listen to me,

because it’s ridiculous 

[costaxserena]

Welcome to Costa Serena, Katie! Please send in or submit your blog within 24 hours & have your submit box open. We hope you have a magical experience at the Coast!

Character: Ursula Lovecraft 

NAME/AGE/TIMEZONE

Katie/20/Central USA

ACTIVITY

I will be pretty active, though with work and other commitments will probably be on mostly at night, which is when I will reply to most things, especially paras. I’ll try to logon during the day to respond to starters if I can. 6

PRIMARY CHARACTER

Ursula Lovecraft

SECONDARY CHARACTER

Landon Lockwood

PARA SAMPLE

The room was pitch black, the sound of her phone vibrating lulling her from her peaceful sleep. Blinking her eyes blearily open, her hand reached out to grab the brightly lit phone, eyes squinting to adjust to the sudden source of light. Sitting up, a hand over the velvet fuzz of her hair before focusing on the message, eyes rolling towards the ceiling as she saw the sender.. She almost wanted to laugh, it was as if he was desperate, after all, she’d made her position more than clear with him. Sending a quick reply, she laid back down, eyes beginning to droop closed once more before the phone vibrated again, slicing through the silence. A grunt of irritation escaped her lips as she sat up, this time making the effort to switch the bedroom light on, it’s dull glow illuminating the room. Once more she typed out a reply, this time a small smirk curling up her lips, perhaps this could be used to her advantage, another chance to gain insight into the never ceasing mystery of her family magic,a chance to get her hands upon the tome that had fed her so-called family for generations. This could be a step up for her, another rung to be climbed on the ever shortening ladder of greatness. Ursula mulled the thought over as she sat up completely, feet sliding to the floor and arms stretching over her head. A soft sigh left her lips as she stood. Grabbing her makeup case off the dresser, she made her way into the bathroom, padding carefully along the carpeted floors so as to not wake her roommate. Flipping on the bathroom’s soft glowing light, she pulled out a thick concealer, and gently began applying it to the bruising around her neck.Her last bout with magic had taken a turn for the worse, the spell she had been attempting to master turning on her, attacking its master. The damage had already started to heal, but was still more than noticeable, and she didn’t want to worry about the questions it would raise; she had more important things to discuss on what would end up to be the most hallowed of nights.

Applying the finishing touches of her makeup with a soft stroke of her fingers, she took a moment to admire how seamlessly it blended in with her dark skin, with a touch of highlight finsihing off the look, the luminesence almost making it seem as if her magic was a visible entity dancing across her skin. Heading back into her room, Ursula snatched her phone and keys off the counter, shoving them both into the pockets of her loosely fitted sweatpants. She briefly considered changing, but as her eyes glanced to the clock to reveal the time, her head shook. It would not do to keep her father waiting if she wanted the answers she sought. Tossing on a jacket over her thin camisole, she headed out the door and into the dimly lit street. It was strangely quiet, most of the residents in their formica houses more likely than not sleeping at this time of night. Slowly she made her way to the small smattering of woods near her home, eyes slowly adjusting to the darkness. Ursula knew this route by rote, having traveled it so often in the past year. She knew where it would lead her; to sanctuary. The place where she and her gift could play in secret, without fear of discovery. The air around her shifted, humming softly as it enveloped her body into its embrace. Another step and she was free, the humming and heaviness gone from the air, signaling she had finally settled in her place. A small thrum of victory tore through her vicously, emboldening her with the knowledge that her protective wards were working as they should. Her eyes snapped up as a dark figure passed through the wall of magic surrounding her, waving off the protections as if they had been no more than a mere nusiance. Brows furrowing, she straightened her back and lfited her chin. It was a disappointment to be sure; that this man had broken so easily through her protection. She still had much more to learn. Turning her full attention to the black suited figure, Ursula spoke in a voice dripped in honey, deftly hiding the loathing that hid simmering beneath the surface. “Hello, Father.”

TRIGGERS

Nope, none!

ANYTHING ELSE?

Secondly, I do have some questions about magic usage and how we’re supposed to go about that. Is there a specific way it has to be used for each character or is that up to each individual role-player? Also; for Ursula’s magic, I was thinking of basing it off of Netflix’s Sabrina the Teenage Witch, as one: there will be plenty of gifts for that and two: I feel like it would seem more authentic, at least in my perspective. If this is okay, please let me know! If it is not okay, please let me know that as well!! 

This will be the first time I have rped since my senior year of highschool which was now three years ago, so I might be a bit rusty.. BUT I am super duper excited to get back into the swing of things!

We answered a similar question not so long ago, if you want to check it out, click on this sentence! Basically, the characters that canonly have some sort of magical power or specific ability (or are magical beings, for example the Winx Club girls) have the same sort of powers they have in their canon movies/shows, just slightly adapted to fit the “real world” and always remembering they’re all learning about their powers and how to keep them discreet in the Costa Serena au. Ursula is a sea witch with dark powers, so the CAOS canon for Prudence would make sense, some basic and strong spells and maybe some connection to water/the sea. Either way, it’s up to you to develop your new baby and the details of all her abilities, magical or not! But you can always check in with us if you have any questions or go to the plot and rules for backup! 

[leslie-red]

For the love of Connor : Golden eyes

This is my first fanfiction of this wonderful game centered on my favorite character our sweet adorable but badass Connor.This fiction will be a therapy for me,because yes depression is really horrible and i needed to write this story so i really hope you will like it and forgive me if i don't write well the character just in case.So thank you..Thank you to read my story and i can assure you it won't be short in contrary.

Why this title..Because Connor need love.That's all.Love from the others and from himself after Hank.And i write this fic for him.

(See the end of the work for more notes.)

                                          Chapter 1 : Grey eyes

             28th August 2190,Detroit changed so much.Trees,flowers,earth nature is back,with the snow covering more and more the town.There is almost only silence this day.Some humans stayed here,as support for the last deviants.Humans with big heart.

Hank was everything.A big heart,a comfort soul to Connor for the rest of his life until his inevitable death.Since,Connor stay alone in this house.His house,where he spend the most beautiful years of his existence.Now he feel abandonned,lost without the one who was like a father.Hank was really his father.But he know soon or later,humans must die.This is how it work, Death is a part of life.But Connor stay perturbed,he still doesn't understand like a child,..Why..Why people lost the ones they loves.He lost Sumo..Hank..What's left for him now ? He just stare at these pictures of his family.And his LED stay red in a permanent way since all these decease.He can't cry anymore.He cried so much from the moment when Hank closed his eyes forever.Connor is become like cold.He just want to become again a machine, feel nothing...Or being deactivated. He look again Hank's smile on the picture like he tried to speak to him,and to never give up.But this is not real.It's just..A picture.Connor feel anger despite his strange tiredness and moan,trembling :

" What's the point Hank ?....What's the point now.."

Some hours later,Connor began to feel the warm of the sun which make him want to go outside and to be in the only place where he feel better in this world.He leave his house..His cold cocoon and goes slowly,enjoying the golden light of the sun until " Chicken Feed ".This place mean so much to him.Hank,his first experience as true deviant,his first real smile toward his friend,his dad.And this hug full of love.Connor close his eyes and remember again this moment to feel again something.He stay here for a long moment until reality come back to him,and see the town all around him.So calm...apaising...The only thing he think about is Hank.Even dead he give him all these sensation.He want a hug...

Far away he see a happy family walking,a dad,a mom and their little girl.They look at him and smile to him warmly.The little girl whisper a shy " Hello ". Connor smile very slightly,kinda touched.They keep going to walk,enjoying their day.And Connor remember....He remember when him,Hank and Sumo walked under the sunshine,also..Happy.He low his head and decide to go back home.His LED always stay red .He doesn't know..Or he doesn't care but his life is in danger.

This evening,Connor is layed down on the couch with just a little lamp,lighting the house.His LED flash slowby between red and..nothing and he stay still.His position is like a fetus,searching some recomfort.He doesn't want to have nightmare..Hank won't be here anymore to help him and hug him.Neither Sumo.So he stay,not moving until someone knock on the door.He open his eyes instently,alarmed.The knock doesn't stop and Connor get up with prudence until the door and he is really surprised to see Markus face to him.

" Markus..What are you doing here ? " His voice is so weak.Markus watch him,full of sadness seeing what's become of his friend.He didn't saw him since such a long time.He almost feel tears in his eyes but try to hold on.Connor feel ashamed and look down on the ground :

" I'm sorry..Please come in."

Connor doesn't know how to react.Markus was such a good friend since the revolution,but he'd become introvert since he lost all he have.He know..He know that Jeriquo could be his second home,but he was stubborn and Hank teased him with that.He couldn't leave him.

" Do you want some Thirium ? I have some..."

" Yes of course i would be glad." Answer Markus calmly trying to destress him.He can feel all his tension.Connor goes to the counter of the kitchen and take a glass.

Markus stands,looking the house and see all the pictures.He smile touched.

" All of you are beautiful." Connor doesn't say anything trying to not crying.But he then whisper :

" He was beautiful..He was perfect..His soul..His heart." He gives the glass full of thirium to Markus. " He was beautiful until the end." His friend understand and add :

" Like Carl was ."

Connor sit down on the couch,silent.He can barely talk.He feel oppressed and say simply :

" I am grateful for your visit Markus.Thank you very much." It was sincere but he can't be a good friend to Markus.He would be useless.Never ,in all his existence,he felt so bad.

Markus see how much Connor is unhappy,and sit near to him trying to " bring him back to life " :

" Connor..You have to return to Jericho.Your place is with us. " He notice his red LED. " You can't stay here and cease to live.."

" This is my home here." Reply firmly Connor,but he feel so guilty of his behavior.

" Of course it is..And it will always be.But you have not to be alone.Not you Connor.And he would not want that.You know it."

Oh yes he know it.Hank only wanted happiness for his second son.Even after his death.But he can't be happy anymore.He was with Hank and Sumo.

" I'm sorry Markus..About everything..About Simon." He push Simon to kill himself..He didn't want to..He was so scared to die and to see the poor deviant dead.But damn..Markus accepted him despite what happened.He was created to do horrible things..

" Listen to me.Think about the good things you did Connor.All the good things you did to Hank.Without you he would be dead since such a long time ago.You saved him.He died happy with you."

" I know.My goal is over now.I'm useless Markus..What can i do at Jericho..." Connor have depression.Markus get it.And he feel so powerless.But he doesn't want to let it go.

" It's not only about Jericho.It's about us..It's about you Connor."

the poor boy began to shake..Is he cold ? Or scared ? he doesn't know but his eyes met at last Markus's thoses like he beg for something.He felt weak but in his head,this is a real mess :

  " Hank would be so disappointed if i let die myself...But if a return to Jericho and become a threat again..Amanda can be still here..Please Hank..Help me.."

Markus touch Connor's hand and it's so cold..Almost freezed,and he see his eyes.He is horrified by what he see.Connor's color eyes are dull grey..Without any emotions or light.

" Connor you have to fight..Look at you.You can die.."

Between his red LED and his grey eyes,Connor can indeed die.The young android get up and see himself in a mirror.He feel like nausea when he doesn't see anymore his warm chocolate eyes..And he see Hank's sad face in his mind.

He turn to Markus and say determinated but still fearful :

" I'm sick..Take me."

Makus feel relieved and put his arm around Connor'shoulder to recomfort him :

" It's gonna be okay Connor."

Connor is so lost..weak and shamed but he trust in Markus.

“ Sorry for Connor's state.Really sorry...Sorry for Hank's death but we know that humans dies..Right ? “

here the link AO3 :)

Gift for @huggies-couscous and all others Connor’s fans in the world

[lynelovespopculture]

THE CHILLING ADVENTURES OF ZELDA-CHAPTER 11: ALL HELL BREAKS LOOSE!

LIFE IS NOT EASY FOR GREENDALE’S HIGH PRIESTESS. HER BELOVED STEPDAUGHTER KEEPS REJECTING HER, IT’S GETTING HARDER TO RUN THE ACADEMY AND WHEN LITILH FINALLY GIVES BIRTH, THINGS GO FROM BAD TO WORSE!

She was horrified. “Here, Father?! You want to spend the night here?!”

“Yes,” came the answer, “and as I’ve been trying to explain to you, it wouldn’t be only for tonight. I live here now and as of this moment, so do you.”

“But this the Spellman house!  We can’t live at the Spellman house! We hate the Spellmans! You most of all!”

“I don’t hate anyone and the Spellmans are my family now, our family.”

“Have you lost your mind, Father? The Spellmans are the enemy. They’ll silt our throats in our sleep. You taught us that!”

“I didn’t teach you anything, that’s kind of the problem,”  Faustus said with desperation in his voice.  “Also, for Hecate’s sake, lower your voice please.”

Yet, it was already too late.  The 1 person Faustus really didn’t want to hear this conversation was hearing everything and had been for the past 10 minutes. For Zelda Spellman, clad in her nightgown could hear the voices in the kitchen perfectly from she was, on the left bottom staircase before the stairs spilt. It wasn’t Zelda’s intention to spy on anyone. She had a valid reason to come downstairs, Zelda just couldn’t remember what it was at the moment. Instead, for the last 10 minutes, Zelda found herself listening to her husband and stepdaughter’s conversation, hoping to answer her burning questions. Questions like how on earth did she manage to escape Blackwood, the insanity curse that raised her? Where was her twin, Judas? And how did she come to live with Dezmelda again, the very witch that Zelda had entrusted Letitia’s care to? However, all Zelda was learning was how much anger and hate her beloved stepdaughter had toward her, and the rest of her family. This was not at all what Zelda had in mind for Letitia’s homecoming.  4 hours ago, when she, Faustus and baby Cordelia returned from their trip and found Letitia, the girl Zelda had loved since birth and thought of every day, had come home, at last, Zelda’s 1st instinct was to give the girl a hug. It hurt a lot when Letitia shrunk away from her touch when she figured out Zelda was going to hug her. Zelda also saw the fear in the girl’s eyes when she beheld Faustus.

“I’m sorry I ran away, Father,” the girl’s voice trembled. “Please don’t punish me.”

Everyone knew that this wasn’t going to be easy. Letitia would only talk to Prudence and her father, ignoring the Spellmans and refuse to speak to any of them.

4 hours later, Faustus and his daughter were still speaking in the kitchen. Hilda and Prudence had gone home, Sabrina and Ambrose were both upstairs, asleep and Zelda was only getting sadder listening to Letitia bashing the family. Giving up entirely on trying to remember what she came down for, Zelda turned and started back upstairs while still hearing yelling coming from the Spellman kitchen.

“Letitia, please calm down.”

“There it is again! My name is Judith, Father, not this Letitia you keep calling me!”

Letitia. The very name Zelda herself had given to the babe and now, only 2 years in Zelda’s timeline, but 16 to Faustus’s daughter, and she hated the name Zelda had given her. Zelda sighed as she opened the door that separated the funeral formal front from the family’s personal 2nd-floor hallway. Zelda let out another heavy breath as she leaned against her now closed bedroom door. She looked up as she heard baby noises.  She crossed the room and took Cordelia out of her bassinet. It was then that Zelda finally remembered what she forgot, Cordelia’s bottle!  Yet, it wasn’t that big a deal. Being a witch sometimes meant you could cut out the middle man. Once she relaxed on the bed with the baby in her arms, that bottle magically appeared. 

“You won’t ever turn against Mommy, will you Cordelia?” Was it Zelda’s imagination or was her baby girl snuggling up against her? 

Even after feeding her, changing her, and settling her daughter back into the bassinet, Faustus had still not come up. Zelda smoked an entire cigarette and found herself anxiously pacing up and down the room, absent mindlessly playing with her wedding ring when her husband, at last, came into the room.

“How is she?” Zelda asked the moment she saw him.

“Fine,” Faustus replied. “Letitia’s asleep now. I put a root of sage under her pillow. I put her up in the nursery on the roll away bed. I hope that’s okay?”

“Oh, of course, of course,” Zelda demised his concern quickly. “Now, please tell me all you know about Letitia. How did she escape from Blackwood? Where is Judas? Why was Letitia back living with Dezmelda again?”   

“Well, it’s a long story, but it all started the night of the twins’ dark baptism.”

“Their baptism?! But that was way back in December! That was over 6 months ago!” Zelda’s eyes widened.

Faustus knew that look. After so many centuries together, Faustus was still amazed by Zelda. She had long ago perfected her cold, hard outer shell. Yet, the ones who know her best, aka her family, knew that Zelda had a big, kind heart, especially when it came to children. Zelda had not only delivered his twins as part of her duties as a midwife. She had cared for Letitia and Judas as if they were her very own. First as their night mother and then stepmother. It wasn’t only the twins. Zelda was a perfect blend of supportive friend/concerned mother that Prudence needed. Of course, other than Hilda, there was no one Sabrina loved and trusted more. Faustus also felt honored that he not only fathered Zelda’s only natural child but Zelda also chose him to raise Cordelia with. Zelda was still looking at him for an answer, so he walked over to his wife and rubbed her arm affectionally.

“Just let me change and I’ll tell you all I know.”

5 minutes later, Faustus and Zelda lay in bed, talking.

“Just as I feared, Blackwood planned to marry the twins to each other on their 16th birthday. Apparently, Judas had no problem with this, but Letitia, rightly so, didn’t want to become her brother’s bride. So, before dawn that day, before Blackwood and Judas were awake, Letitia ran away.” Faustus explained.  

“Poor girl. What a horrible way to spend your 16th birthday,” Zelda shook her sadly. “I hope she wasn’t alone for long?”

Faustus saw the genuine worry on Zelda’s face and couldn’t help but smile.  Was it any wonder that he absolutely adored the ground Zelda walked on? “No, not too long,” he replied.  “Just for 2 days and a night. Dezmelda found her right before the 2nd sunset.”

Zelda frowned. “Well, then that begs another question if Letitia has been with her for over 6 months, why didn’t Dezmelda tell anyone?”

“Letitia told me that she begged Dezmelda not to tell anyone that she was there. Letitia was terrified of being taken back to me, er, Blackwood.”

“You did explain the insanity curse to her, didn’t you?” 

Faustus sighed. “I did but I don’t think she understood. I may have to explain to her all again. I mean, it is all very complicated. I really think that all Letitia needs is some”

“Time?” Zelda offered. “We can surely give her that. I’m just so happy that she’s here under our roof where we can protect her.”

Faustus stroked Zelda’s cheek and kissed her.  “My thoughts exactly. I love you.” They fell asleep shortly after.

Hours later, Zelda woke up to Cordelia’s cries and stepped from the bed to her daughter’s bassinet. After feeding the baby, Zelda realized that she had a perfect excuse to sneak into the nursery. After tiptoeing into the room and settled Cordelia in her crib, Zelda turned to look at the young girl that was asleep in the pale moonlight. Zelda longed to sit by Letitia’s side, stroke her hair, and kissed her brow. Yet she didn’t do anything like that for fear that Letitia would wake up and flinch from her as she did before.

“Sleep well, Letitia,” Zelda whispered softly. “I’m so happy that you’re finally home.”

Zelda sadly closed the door, went back to her room, and got back into bed. Zelda instantly felt a bit better when a still half-asleep Faustus wrapped an arm around her.

Despite the fact that she would have preferred to stay with Letitia, on her full 1st day home and was still tired from the trip from Rome, Zelda kissed Faustus and Cordelia goodbye the next morning before heading to the academy. Zelda froze at the front door when she heard Letitia asked her father.

“Are you really going to just stand there while that bitch steals your job?!”

“Watch your mouth, young lady! Zelda isn’t stealing anything!”

The redhead closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and forced herself to continue on her way.

 It was during morning assembly that Zelda got to tell the whole school, students, and staff alike about her trip to Rome and how successful it was. Zelda was touched when the whole crowd burst into applause and then Zelda kept on being stopped on the way back to her office to offer their congratulations. When she finally got to her office, Zelda saw her 1st appointment was waiting.

“Hello, brother Barker.” Zelda smiled. “Please take a seat.”

The warlock sat before the desk as Zelda went to sit behind it. “So, what can I do for you today?” Zelda asked.  

Barker sighed. “I hate to do this to you, Zelda. Especially when you’re just back from Rome, but I’ve thought long and hard about it and I’ve decided to retire.”

Zelda was shocked. “Retire? You? But you are the most experienced teacher at this school. You taught most of the staff, myself included.”

Barker nodded. “I know, I know. As I said, I hate to do this but I’m a whole century older than the rest of you and I just can’t keep up. Even with your sister and the young teachers in training, the student body still outnumbers us 3 to 1.”

Zelda raised an eyebrow. “So, your solution to a teacher’s shortage is to resign yourself?”

“I’m sorry but I can’t keep up this pace anymore.”

Zelda sat back in her chair, thinking. “Brother Barker,” Zelda said slowly, “if you were me, how would you solve this problem?”

The old warlock shrugged. “I don’t know. Take out an ad in the newspaper?”

Zelda laughed shortly. “Oh, that would go over well. Wanted: 2 or more experienced teachers for a secret witch’s school right in our own backyard. Oh, I can see that in the Greendale Gazette.”

Barker shook his head. “No, I didn’t mean the gazette, I actually was referring to the IWD. I’ve heard they had gone digital.”

Zelda closed her eyes. “The newspaper run by the International Witches Database, of course, that’s what you meant! Forgive me, Brother Barker, I’m afraid I’m still suffering from jet lag from the flight from Rome. Anyway, I think placing an ad in the IWD is a brilliant idea! I think as the most senior member of this academy’s staff, I think you’re the perfect person to write up the ad, or at least the 1st draft. In fact, what’s your next class?”

“Um..it’s casting 101,” Barker answered.

Zelda nodded. “I’ll handle your class so that you can get started on the ad.  Please feel free to use my office. I’ll also take a look at the schedule and see if I can divide the classes more evenly between the teachers. I just need to ask you 1 favor. Until the person who is selected from the ad is picked and settled, can you stay on?”

“Are you kidding? If this leaves off enough pressure, I may not retire after all.”

Zelda smiled. “Good.”

1 crisis down, about a million more to go. Barker was right; every teacher was stressed to the limit. Of course, the fact that the headmistress had been gone for a whole week, didn’t help matters. On top of her classes, Zelda also had a mountain of paperwork to get through. Zelda was so swamped that she had to call Faustus at home to tell him not to hold supper for her. Zelda sensed something in her husband’s voice, sadness perhaps, but decided not to pursue it. By 7, Zelda was still working at her desk and was not all happy when she looked up and saw the hell minion was right before her.

Zelda sighed. “What on earth are you doing here?” She demanded of the bellhop.

“Lilith is” the minion started and Zelda, tired and cranky, cut in rather quickly.

“Is not due for another 6 weeks and her last check-up is not for another 2 weeks.”

“Be that as it may,” the minion tried again. “Lilith said that she was bleeding and to fetch you right away.”

Zelda sighed as she opened her desk drawer, took out a pad of paper, and quickly wrote a note that she quickly spelled to the dining table of the Spellman house where Faustus was sure to find it. Then Zelda stood up and held out her hand until she felt the handle of the medical bag in her palm. Then she gestured to the minion. “Lead the way.”

Hell was the last place Zelda Spellman thought she would be tonight. All she wanted to do was go home, check on the children, have something to eat, cuddle up next to Faustus, and go to sleep. Yet, duty called. The minion was walking her down a palace hallway when Zelda felt herself being grabbed and pulled into a room. The next thing Zelda knew, she was face to face with Lilith.

“Did you find it? Did you bring it?” Lilith demanded.

“Did I find or bring what?” Zelda honestly didn’t know what Lilith was talking about.

“The spell!” Lilith cried as if it was the obvious thing in the world. “The spell that pauses my pregnancy.”

Zelda made a face. “No, I bring that!  The spell would be against nature.  There is no magic against nature! You know that! Every witch knows that!” It was only when Lilith threw up her hands and was walking away from her, that Zelda noticed something. “You’re not bleeding, are you?  You bought me down here for nothing.”

“Nothing!” Lilith turned back sharply. “I’m due in only 6 weeks! The moment after I give birth, my stay of execution will be over and Lucifer will kill me!”

“You’ve had 13 months to plan your escape,” Zelda pointed out, “why didn’t you?”

 “How can I plan anything with Lucifer watching me 24/7! Besides, why should I plan anything, when it’s your fault I’m in this mess!”

Zelda was so shocked she could only blink. “My fault?!”

“Yes!” Lilith returned with a hiss. “If you hadn’t turned me away, I wouldn’t be in this mess!”

“You having a baby, I hardly call that a mess, Lilith! And for the record, I turned you away because you are  untrustworthy, and as high priestess, I always have to put the safety of my family and coven first. Besides how was I to know when you left the academy, how was I to know you would run right into Lucifer’s arms!”

“I was trying to save my life!” Lilith defended herself.  “As Lucifer already showed, I wasn’t in his arms. I was in your husband’s and you say I’m untrustworthy.”

“Blackwood is not my husband, Faustus is!”

Lilith waved her hand dismissingly. “Same difference.”

“There’s a lot of difference!” Zelda instantly defended. “Blackwood is a soulless, evil parasite. A curse, who we would have been rid of by now if you haven’t of given him the mark of Cain.  Faustus is a real person, who has been through the darkest pain, has owned up to his mistakes and now tries harder to be better every single day, to redeem himself. That’s the difference.  Lucifer hasn’t paid me in information for months. The only reason I’m still your mid-wife is to protect my coven and family, including my husband, from the dark lord.” Zelda turned to leave but then turned back. “As you said, you’re due in 6 weeks, and if I were you, I’ld start planning something.” Then Zelda left.

Although she was tired and long to go home, Zelda returned to the Academy and managed to do another hour of paperwork. Then she went home. Stopping at the kitchen’s entrance, Zelda watched Faustus cleaning the island while Letitia fluttered around him. 

“I bet she’s not even a mid-wife. I think she been with her lover all night.”  Suggested Letitia.

Faustus didn’t even bother to look up. “Zelda doesn’t have a lover,” His tone was completely calm, if slightly annoyed. 

Letitia then lit up. “Why am I saying it like it’s a bad thing? The more time she spends with her lover, the more you can spend with your mistress. Maybe even invite her over so I can meet her. Anyone would be better than a Spellman.”

Faustus sighed. “I’ve already told you; I don’t have a mistress and Zelda doesn’t have a lover.  We are faithful to each other because we’re a happily married couple. We love each other and have no need for anyone else.”

It was a sweet statement but Letitia looked horrified.  “I don’t believe it. No man is happy with only 1 woman.”

Faustus shrugged. “Believe it or not, it’s true and as I’ve told you numerous times today, I’m very happy being married to Zelda, caring for Cordelia and being a house husband.”

His daughter frowned. “That’s not natural.  Women should stay in the home.”

“So, you’ve said numerous times today!”  Faustus forced himself to stay calm. “It’s late, Judith, maybe you should go up and get ready for bed.”

The girl left the kitchen and Faustus finished up and hung up the kitchen rag before he turned and finally noticed Zelda. “How long have you been standing there?”

“Long enough to know that you had a rough 1st day.” Zelda walked over to her husband, putting her medical bag on the island and then kissed him. “Feel better?”

“Much,” Faustus smiled and put his arms around her. 

Zelda smiled. “I’m glad to hear that you don’t have a mistress. If you did, you realize I would have to kill you.”

“As would be your right.” Zelda laughed and Faustus kissed her. “Listen, I only called her Judith just now is because she yelled at me all morning that her name was not Letitia.”

“There’s no need to explain,” She told him truthfully as he put an arm around Zelda’s shoulder as they left the kitchen. In the parlor, they found Sabrina bouncing the baby. Zelda lit up at the sight of her niece and her daughter.

“Cordelia! Did you miss mommy today? I sure missed you. Hello, Sabrina. How was your day?”

“It was good, aunt Z and Cordy is finished her night bottle,” Sabrina explained as she handed Zelda the baby and Faustus the bottle. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a little more homework to do before bed.”

“Goodnight,” Zelda smiled as Sabrina kissed her goodnight.

“Thank you for all your help tonight,” Faustus added.

With Sabrina gone, Zelda sat down and began to rock Cordelia. Faustus sat down on a stool, and he took Zelda’s foot out of its high heel and began to rub the foot.  The pleasurable moan that escaped Zelda’s lips made Faustus smile. “Feel good?”

“Like Hecate’s palace,” Zelda’s smile was one of pure bliss.

“Funny, there’s where I thought you came from,” Faustus got up and kissed her.

A little while later, Letitia was in bed, reading, however when she heard the door opening, she stashed her book under her pillow.

“Don’t mind me,” her father said softly. “I just need to put your sister to bed.”

Letitia was confused. “She’s not my sister. You told me yourself this morning that Cordelia was Zelda’s baby.”

Faustus put the infant in her crib before turning to answer Letitia.

“Yes, Zelda is Cordelia’s mother but I’m her father. She’s a part of us both.”

Letitia’s eyes widened as she got up off her cot to face her father. “Father, are you telling me that you actually mated with a Spellman? That is so wrong!” She wore a look of utter disgust.

Faustus sighed; his mouth was a thin line. “The only thing wrong here is that statement. I married a woman I loved and we were blessed with a child. It’s that simple.”

“But a Spellman!? To dirty our bloodline like that?! Father, you can do so much better.”

“That’s enough!” Letitia opened her mouth to say something else but Faustus held up his hand. “This is not up for debate, young lady. Now get back in bed and go to sleep!” Faustus closed the door behind him and went to his own room. There he saw Zelda, in bed, her arms around her knees, in a very un-Zelda like manner. In her hand was the 2-way baby monitor. She looked up at Faustus.

“She hates me,” Zelda was on the verge of tears.

Faustus went to her and took the monitor from her. He switched it off to ensure that they could talk in private. “She doesn’t hate you,” Faustus assured her. “She doesn’t know you. She doesn’t even know me yet. All she knows is Blackwood and his warped world view. After 16 years, it’s tough to overcome. Believe me, I know. Like you said last night, it’s going to take time.”

He was right, partly. Over time, Letitia did get closer, to some people. Like her sister, Prudence, and even Sabrina, once Letitia learned she wasn’t a true blood Spellman. As for Ambrose, Hilda, and Zelda, Letitia remained ice cold, no matter how much or how hard they tried to befriend her and it was breaking Zelda’s heart.

It was a few days after Dezmelda’s funeral, that Zelda was in the middle of teaching a class when something odd happened.  Zelda smelled the smoke before she actually saw it. Then the pain set in. It was only then that Zelda’s finger burst into flames. The screaming students certainly didn’t help anything.  Zelda ran out of the classroom and was thankful for whoever placed the water pitcher in the hallway. Dropping her whole hand in the jug, it did stop the fire but not the pain. Only when Zelda took off the boiling hot ring and dropped it on the floor, that’s the pain started to fade. Once she caught her breath, Zelda leaned down and saw her smoking, half-melted, and now utterly unwearable wedding ring.

Faustus looked up from his cooking and smiled. “Welcome home, dearest.” He kissed her hello. “So, how was your day?”

“It was fine darling, mostly.”

Faustus arched an eyebrow. “Care to explain that mostly?”

Zelda sighed and then dug into her purse.  “I was smoked,” She explained as she produced the ring.

“Is that your wedding ring?” Faustus asked and frowned when his wife nodded. “I was afraid of this.”

It was only then that Zelda noticed that Faustus’s hand was ringless as well. “What happened to you?”

“I was feeding Cordelia her bottle this morning when suddenly, out of nowhere and for no reason at all, my ring snapped in 2 and fell off. Alright, I’m going to fix this right now,” Faustus put down the wooden spoon and turned off the stove before marching out of the kitchen.

Zelda followed him. “What are you doing?”

“Going upstairs to talk to Letitia. It’s obvious that it’s her who did this. Who else would want to destroy the symbols of our marriage?”

“Faustus, no!” Zelda grabbed his arm. “We have no proof that it was her. And even if was her, I’m sure it was nothing but a childish prank to blow off steam. I’m sure the worst is over.”

How wrong Zelda was.

“So, what do you think?”

It was the following week and Zelda and Faustus were alone in their room. It was late at night and Zelda was asking her husband his opinion about Brother Barker’s newly finished teacher’s ad for the IWD’s newspaper.

“This is fine, very fine,  indeed. This should attract some excellent teachers. Yet, I’m afraid that Barker forgot something very important.”

Zelda took back the paper. “Really? I could swear Barker got in all the information.”

Faustus chuckled. “I truly do trust you, dearest, I do. But I do remember that the last time you hired a teacher, it was Mambo Marie and she was wildly attracted to you.  Not that I blame her.  I mean, any person with eyes would be attracted and since most teachers have eyes…”

Zelda smiled. “So, you think we mention that the headmistress is not available right in the ad.”

Faustus smiled back. “How about the headmistress is married?”

“How about the headmistress is in love?” Zelda suggested.

“Madly in love?” Faustus added.

“Passionately?”

“Completely?”

“Forever.”

Zelda allowed the ad to slip through her fingers to the floor and closed her eyes as Faustus began to kiss her deeply. They were in each other’s arms as they both fell backward toward the bed. The moment their bodies touched the mattress, Zelda and Faustus were torn apart. Due to some unknown source, Faustus was flung into the left side of the room; Zelda, the right.  

“Hey!”

“Ow!” After a few seconds, they got up, dusted themselves off, and looked at each other. “What the heaven was that?” Zelda asked her husband.

The next morning, after Zelda left for work, Faustus sighed as he went back upstairs, into his room and lifted up the mattress. His heart dropped as soon as he found it. There, right in the middle of the frame was a penny. One side of the penny was flat, the other side stood straight up. Frowning, Faustus took the penny and when downstairs to the kitchen was Prudence and Letitia were.

“Hello girls,” Faustus forced his tone to remain calm. 

Both of his daughters looked up and smiled at him. Prudence was helping Letitia with some of her schoolwork. It was hoped that if she worked hard enough that Letitia would be ready to attend the academy next term. Prudence gestured with her pencil. “What do you have there, Father?”

Faustus kept it cool. “Oh, this? This is a bent penny. I haven’t seen 1 of these in a very long time. That’s because a bent penny is used in a specific spell that is usually used by jealous teenage witches with cheating boyfriends. Anyway, the witch would enchant this penny and put it under the boyfriend’s mattress and if the boyfriend took another lover to his bed, he and the lover would be jolted off the bed and far away from each other.”

Prudence smiled. “Well, I’ll have to remember that if Ambrose starts acting strangely,” she joked.  However, Faustus was more interested in his younger daughter’s reaction. Letitia didn’t even look up from her schoolwork. However, when Faustus turned to leave, he saw in the glass above the door that Letitia wore a smile.

That smile told Faustus all he needed to know.

“I can’t believe it took a whole month for all of us to come together again.” Hilda declared as she and Zelda prewashed a few dinner dishes while Faustus and Dr. C got the cake and coffee ready.

Zelda smiled. It was true, the Spellmans had not been all together for a full 30 days, since the night Faustus and Zelda got home from Rome. That was 1 of the reasons for tonight’s get together. The adults made their way out of the kitchen and into the dining room where the kids were waiting but 1 had flown the coop.

“Where’s Letitia?” Zelda asked.

Ambrose shrugged. “She said didn’t want dessert and went upstairs.” 

Zelda sighed. Be it meals together or any other family event, Letitia would get away as soon as possible or not show up at all. Zelda hoped it would change over time but it was a month now but nothing was changing. Zelda smiled at Faustus when her husband took her hand. It was to focus on telling the family the news.

“Everyone,” Zelda began, “as wonderful as tonight’s dinner has been, Faustus and I have gathered you all here for another reason. You see, we have something to tell you, something we learned in Rome. We planned to tell you all the night we came home but we got sidetracked by Letitia being found and everything.”

“Is it about the council?” Hilda asked. “Did something happen? You are still a high priestess, aren’t you?”

“What? Oh yes, Hildie, of course, I am. No, this news has nothing to do with me, and everything to do with Cordelia. Do you remember what happened the night of her presenting? Her birthmark- “

“The mark of the divine,” Ambrose said, suddenly remembering a phone call he, Faustus, and Prudence had, “Did you find out what it all means?”

 “Yes,” Zelda had the whole table’s attention as she told the family everything. She told them all about Maxine and the secret sisterhood. How they freaked out about Cordelia’s crescent moon birth mark-the mark of the divine. Zelda told them all about her research, about Hecate’s grandchildren, the tale of the 2 cousins, the start of the Spellman and Blackwood bloodlines, and what it meant for baby Cordelia.

It was Prudence who first broke the shocked silence.  “My baby sister is fated to be the most powerful witch ever born?!”

“That is what all the prophecies I read said, yes.” Zelda nodded.

“I can’t believe it,” Prudence whispered.

“I can,” Said Hilda. “A lot of things make sense now. The reason why Cordelia has been so alert and awake since she was born. The reason the pregnancy was healthy and was able to survive even after you were shot, Zelds.  It makes complete sense now. Cordelia was meant to be born.

“I didn’t even consider all that, but yes, Hildie, I believe you’re right,” Zelda nodded.

“So, what are we going to do with this information?” Asked Sabrina.

Zelda shrugged. “I don’t know if there is  anything to be done. I just remember how hurt Hilda and I were that Edward didn’t tell us about going to the dark lord for a child. So, this is us telling you all about Cordy.”

Ambrose frowned. “What about Cordelia herself?  When and what will you tell Cordelia about all this?”

“Faustus and I spoke about almost nothing else on the flight home and for the foreseeable future, we decided to say nothing to Cordelia. We want to give her as normal a childhood as possible.”

A couple of hours later, after the meal, after Prudence, Hilda and Dr. C went home and Sabrina and Ambrose were in their rooms. Zelda entered the nursery and smiled at her baby.

“Hello, Cordelia. Mommy going to give you a little bath and your bottle before bed. Won’t that be fun?” Zelda tried to pick up Cordelia but she just couldn’t. It was as if there an invisible wall around her daughter. “What the heaven?”

“I’d step away from the baby if I were you.” 

Zelda turned to see Letitia, her arms crossed and leaning against the door. “Letitia, what have you done?”

Letitia’s frown deepened. “Firstly, my name is Judith! Secondly, if what I heard  you say is true, I must protect my little sister. I can’t just let anyone come in off of the streets and take her.”

Zelda looked from Letitia and Cordelia and back again.  Her heartbreaking with every glance. “But I’m not just anyone. I’m her mother.” Zelda said firmly.

Letitia made a movement of dismissal. “You’re a Spellman! I made it so no Spellman will ever be able to touch Cordelia Blackwood ever again.” As if to rub it in, Letitia took the bottle from Zelda, made a show out of taking Cordelia out of her crib, and then sat down to feed the baby. 

Before a stunned Zelda could react, Faustus came into the room. “What’s going on here?” he demanded.

“Nothing, Father,” Letitia said calmly. “Just protecting your youngest from the Spellmans.”

Not quite understanding, Faustus looked to his wife.

“She cast a spell so I can’t touch Cordelia,” Zelda explained.

“It’s not just her, it applies to all the Spellmans.” Letitia seemed proud of herself.

Beyond annoyed, Faustus rolled his eyes. “Not 1 of your stupid, childish spells again! Letitia, I want you to take your spell off your sister and apologize to your mother! Right now!”

Letitia was seething. “HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO TELL YOU THIS? MY NAME IS JUDITH AND SHE,” Letitia eyed Zelda upper and down in utter disgust, “IS NOT MY MOTHER!”

Faustus sighed deeply, trying desperately to keep calm as he reached out to grab Cordelia. “Please don’t scream in the baby’s ear. Now, why did you feel the need to put a spell on the baby?”

“I overheard some of the conversation that was happening downstairs. About how powerful Cordelia will be and I wanted to protect her. It’s like you always told us, it’s us or them. It’s the Spellmans or it’s the Blackwoods.”

Faustus sighed. “For the 10000th time, I didn’t tell you anything, the curse did. Also, there are no Blackwoods here. Like I’ve already told you, I’m a Spellman now, Cordelia is a Spellman and even you are a Spellman.”

“I will NEVER be a Spellman!” Letitia snapped.

“But you already are, isn’t she, Zelda?  Zelda?” Faustus wasn’t sure when but Zelda had left.

After telling Letitia they’d talk more about later, Faustus went looking for Zelda. He found her across the hall, in their own bedroom. Zelda was seated at the end of their bed. Her head was buried in her hands. Faustus could tell she was crying because her shoulders were shaking violently.

“Oh, dearest,” Faustus took Zelda into his arms.

“I’m such an idiot!” Zelda declared between sobs. “I truly believed that once we found the twins, we would be 1 happy family.”

Faustus found himself rocking his wife. “We will be, my dearest, I promise you. I just need to figure out how to get through to Letitia. Maybe a little time.”

“Time? It’s been a month already. Instead of things getting better, they’re getting worse. Letitia hates me, she hates me so much that she doesn’t even want me to touch her little sister, my own baby!”

“I will never allow the spell to stand!” Faustus soothed as he rubbed Zelda’s back. “I’ve Cordelia back in your arms before you know it.”

It was easier said than done. Letitia refused to take off the spell and Faustus was having trouble finding an anti-spell.  Father and daughter got into screaming matches. Faustus no longer trusted Letitia to be alone with the baby so Cordelia moved into her parents’ room. It drove Zelda absolutely crazy not being able to hold or touch her own child but Faustus made it somewhat better was when Faustus would lie Cordelia down to sleep between them and they could be near each other.  It was at the most heartbreaking when Cordelia would smile at Zelda and hold out her arms, obviously wanting to be picked up by her mommy. No matter how hard she tried, Zelda couldn’t, and it wasn’t just her. Both Hilda and Ambrose tried to hold the baby and all failed. This awful tension, which grew and grew, continued for 2 weeks. The tension in the house got so bad that certain members of the household, namely Sabrina and Ambrose, went out of their way to be out of the house. She would never admit it, but even Zelda was happy that the academy needed her more and more. They were starting the summer session and the responses to the teacher’s ad were coming in and there was much more than expected. This meant a lot of late nights for Zelda. It all came to a head 1 evening. 

Faustus was sitting at the table, feeding Cordelia her bottle while Zelda was at the stove, stirring the soup.

“Dinner, children!”  Zelda called out.  Ambrose and Sabrina presently came into the kitchen, smiling at and thanking their aunt as she handed them their bowls. A moment later, everyone heard a door slam and stomping on the stairs, Letitia came into the kitchen. Like she did for the other kids, Zelda held out the soup bowl to her stepdaughter.

However, all Letitia did was stare daggers at Zelda. “Whore!”

Hearing this, Faustus balanced the baby on his hip and went over to his wife and daughter. “Hey! What did I tell you about calling Zelda names?”

“But she is a whore!” Letitia insisted. “I was just in my room, doing a memory spell”

“You did a memory spell, all by yourself?” Zelda asked softly. She couldn’t help but be impressed.

“Yes, I wanted to see my mother and I did see her when she was pregnant with Judas and me and I found this 1,” She pointed at Zelda, “tending to her.”

Faustus shrugged. “So? I told you that Zelda was your mother’s midwife.”

“Yeah, but after the check-up, I followed her, down to the cells, where she promptly had sex with you.” Letitia turned her attention back to Zelda. “You killed her, didn’t you?  You killed my mother and blamed it on childbirth?!”

“No, I didn’t.” Zelda’s voice was reassuring but also very firm.

“Yes, you did!” Letitia screamed. “It shouldn’t have been her. I wish it had been you who had died!”

Sabrina gasped as Faustus took a step forward. “That’s it! Go to your room! Now!” Faustus watched his daughter stalk out of the room and turned to his wife. “Are you alright, dearest?”

“I’m fine,” Zelda said but looked anything but as she shut off the stove. “I’ve just remembered, I’m going to be late for an appointment.”

Faustus followed Zelda into the hall where she began to gather up her things. “What about dinner?”

“I’m not hungry.”

“So, are you going to tell me what’s wrong?”

Zelda looked across the room at Lilith and shrugged.  “There’s nothing wrong. The baby’s fine and everything right on schedule.”

Lilith frowned. “I meant with you. You show up 2 hours early and that is the 1st sentence you said all the time you’ve been here. So, what’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” Zelda cleared her throat. “It’s personal.”

“Zelda, you just finished working inside of me, I think we are beyond personal.”

Zelda sighed deeply. “Fine, if you really want to know, Letitia hates me.”

“Oh,” Lilith nodded. “Who’s Letitia?”

Zelda drew an even deeper sigh as she explained about the twins to Lilith.

Lilith was less worried. “Why should you care? She’s not even your daughter.”

Zelda rolled her eyes. “Why am I even discussing this with you? You’re due soon and I don’t even think you love your own baby. I told you it was a boy months ago. Have you spent 1-second thinking of a name?  Or even wanting to hold him?”

“I already told you, this baby is not for loving.”

“All babies are for loving!” Zelda snapped. “I remember when I was pregnant before finding out about the curse. I remember being terrified but ready to be kicked out my coven and disowned by my family, as long as I got to keep my baby.” And now I can’t even hold her anymore. Zelda thought to herself as she quickly wiped a tear away and went back to pack up her medical bag. Her back to Lilith.

“You know the difference between you and me?”

Zelda shrugged. “I’ve loved before and you haven’t?” 

“I’ve loved. I loved Adam!”

“Adam? As I recall, you couldn’t run away from him or the garden fast enough.”

“No, another Adam.” Lilith was afraid she had said too much so she lashed out. “You know what?  You’re a fool! That girl will never see you as anything but as an evil stepmother!”

Zelda said nothing; she just closed her bag and left in an annoyed huff.

“Now I know that we never talked about manners, young lady but calling your stepmother a whore, especially to her face, is certainly bad form.”

After having a quiet if slightly awkward dinner with Sabrina and Ambrose, Faustus decided to wash the dishes and clean up the kitchen before he called down his daughter for a stern talking to in the living room.

“But she is a whore!” Letitia insisted, rather loudly.  “She had sex, knowingly, with another woman’s husband. That’s the very definition of a whore!”

Faustus sighed. “Then what about me?” he wanted to know. “I was the 1 who was married during the affair. I’m married now and you been encouraging me to take a mistress.”

Letitia shook her head. “That’s different. You’re a man. All men enjoy sex but the only women who enjoy sex are whores.”

“That is your grandfather talking! I didn’t believe in that stupid double standard when I was 12 and I don’t believe it now.”

“Let’s leave,” she sat up straighter, “You, me, and the baby, let’s leave this house and never come   back.”

“We are not going anywhere. As a minor, you will live where I live and I’m not leaving Zelda.”

“Of course, you’re not leaving Zelda, because you’re under her spell. How else would you explain enjoying being a housekeeper while she’s at work every day?”

Faustus crossed his arms. “That’s ironic. Lately, the only 1 casting spells and trying to control things is you and that has to stop, Judith.”

Their conversation was interrupted by a ringing phone. Faustus walked in the hallway to answer it. “Hello?”

“Hello, darling.”

“Zelda, my love! Thank Hecate! I’ve been worrying about you ever since you left here 4 hours ago. Where have you been?”

“I went to see Lilith for her last check-up and then I returned to the academy to do some paperwork. In fact, that’s why I’m calling. I’m afraid it’s going to be another long night, Faustus. I’m going to stay here tonight.”

Her husband was not fooled, not for a single second, “Dearest one, I know you’ll still upset about what happened with you and Letitia and you have every reason to be so, but running away is not the answer.”

“No, I’m fine,” Zelda said but the tightness in her voice told Faustus that she was anything but. “I just have a lot of work to do.”

Faustus tried again. “Alright, I get that you have work to do. But even if it’s 3, 4, or 5 in the morning, please0 feel free to come home at any time, even if it’s just for a few hours. I love you. I need you.”

“No, he doesn’t!” Faustus was horrified to hear his daughter’s voice on the phone. Then he remembered. The Spellman house was an old house and as a result, it only had 1 landline. Faustus was using the phone in the hall, Letitia’s voice sounded like it was coming from the kitchen.

“That’s right,” Letitia continued to scream at Zelda over the phone. “No one needs or wants you here! The longer you stay away, the better! In fact, I suggest you never come back, mother killer!”

“What are you doing?” Faustus growled as he came up behind his daughter, took the phone out of her hand, and covered up the mouthpiece. “You have no right to attack Zelda like that. Go upstairs, NOW!” Faustus placed the phone to his ear. “Zelda? Honey?” All he heard was a dial tone. “Damn it!”

Although Faustus waited up for her, Zelda didn’t go home that night nor did she come home the next night even though she had called several times during the day to check on the family. It was becoming clear to Faustus that if he wanted his wife to come home, he would have to go get her himself. But first thing first.

Cordelia laughed wildly as she splashed in the water, Faustus couldn’t help but laugh too. Yet this was no regular bath. Faustus was bathing Cordelia in the strongest anti-spell he had ever come across. “Thank Hecate you’re such a water baby, Cordy.” He kissed her head before Faustus looked to the ceiling. “Ambrose! Can you come here for a moment?”

A second later, Ambrose appeared at the door. “Yes? What can I-Judas Priest, what is that smell?”

“I’m sorry, I can’t help it. It’s the anti-spell,” Faustus pointed to the sink where Cordelia sat.

Ambrose made a face. “That is foul! How can you stand it?”

“I spelled myself and Cordy before we started. I can’t smell anything right now.”

“Well, you could have warned me!”

“Sorry,” Faustus grabbed a fluffy towel and scooped up his daughter. “Anyway, you can go as soon as I figure out if the anti-spell worked. Can a Spellman hold this baby?”

Ambrose held his breath as he held his cousin.

“It worked!” Faustus took Cordelia back, kissed her, and gave her a proper bath to wash off the stench.

To avoid any more fighting, Faustus waited until nighttime to make his move. He checked that everyone was asleep before returning to his room. 

“Well, Cordelia, all is quiet and well here. Shall we go visit Mommy?” Faustus watched the 5 months old squeal excitedly. Faustus smiled and picked up the basket and teleported. A moment later, Faustus was walking into his old bedroom on the top floor of the academy. Faustus felt a little uneasy about seeing it again. After all, this was his 1st time in the academy in years. After a nervous breath, Faustus focused and noticed that the bed was littered in papers. Ad responses and corrected schoolwork. Zelda was in the shower; he could hear the water running. A moment later, Zelda appeared.

“Faustus?! What are you doing here?”

He smiled. “I decided that 3 nights without my wife is much, much too long. Plus I have a surprise for you.” Faustus picked up Cordelia and held her out in front of him.

Zelda tilted her head. “Faustus, what are you doing? You know I can’t touch her.”

“But you can, my love. I broke the spell today.”

Zelda was still doubtful but came forward. Her eyes lit up as she took Cordelia in her arms. “My baby!  Mommy missed you so much!” Zelda covered the infant’s face with kisses making Cordelia giggle which led to more kisses. Faustus watched the precious mother/daughter moment, put his hand on the small of Zelda’s back.

“I missed you too.” He kissed his wife and she smiled.

Since it was already brewed, they sat down and had tea while Cordelia curled up and fell asleep on Zelda’s chest. Later, when Zelda was settling Cordelia into bed, Faustus noticed the black and gold robe that didn’t quite fit her. He waited for Zelda to turn to him before Faustus tug the robe’s belt and Zelda was in his arms. 

He kissed her deeply before he asked, “Isn’t this my robe?” 

Zelda smiled. “Yes, it is and that 1 of the 2 reasons I’ve worn it all 3 nights I’ve been here. To remind me of you and the 1st time I wore this robe was to check on baby Judas and he gave me the cutest smile.”

As Zelda talked, Faustus kissed Zelda’s neck and untying the knot in the belt of the rope. When she mentioned Judas, he thought about when Zelda called home to check in, she never failed to ask about Letitia, no matter how badly the girl had mistreated her. The fact that she still worried and thought about the twins constantly proved that Zelda was their mother.

“I love you,” Faustus whispered against Zelda’s collarbone. “I could live a million years and never adore anyone half as I adore you.”

They undressed and made love all night long. Zelda had to leave the bed only once; to tend to the baby, but then happily returned to her husband’s embrace.

They met the dawn in each other’s arms.  “I have a favor to ask of you. Come home tonight.”

Zelda sighed. “Faustus, Letitia is-“

“A 16-year-old child,” Her husband rushed to remind her, “and we’re a family. As parents, we should correct, not reward Letitia’s bad behavior. Speaking of correcting behavior,” Faustus reached down into his discarded pants pocket on the floor and took out a small velvet box. “I ordered these weeks ago but they only came in yesterday,” Faustus explained and opened the box to reveal another pair of wedding rings that Letitia’s spell had destroyed.

Faustus slid the ring onto Zelda’s finger and kissed her. “Will you come home?”

Zelda smiled and put the ring on him. “I will.”

After a few hours of sleep, Zelda hurried downstairs to attend morning assembly while Faustus and Cordelia went home. Faustus spent all day working. Be it protection spells, sealing spells, anti-spells, and more, he makes sure that every inch of the house was ready to take on his daughter’s spiteful little spells. Faustus didn’t tell Letitia that Zelda was coming home until the very last minute. He also told her, quite sternly to be nice to her stepmother and to everyone’s surprise…she was.

5 days after Zelda came home, Letitia laid out a wonderful tea service and sandwiches and then invited Zelda to join her. Touched, Zelda accepted. Meanwhile, Faustus was upstairs, putting Cordelia down for a nap. Turning away from the crib, Faustus noticed that Letitia’s cot was unmade. He made the bed, but when he grabbed the pillow up to fluff it, a book hit the floor. The book fell spine up and pages spread out. Faustus picked it up, flipping the pages, thinking nothing of it until he got to the last page, then his eyes bugged out.

“NO!” He dropped the book instantly and ran downstairs.

“A toast,” Letitia raised her teacup, “To us and a new beginning.”  They clinked the cups together and  Zelda was just about to take a sip when the teacup flew out of her hand and crashed against the wall. Zelda turned and saw a panicked Faustus entering the room.

“Dearest, how much tea did you drink? Do you think you can bring it back up?”

Zelda shook her head. “I haven’t had any tea.”

“Father, I can explain- “

“I’m not even ready to talk to you yet!”

“What’s going on?” Zelda asked.

“I was making up Letitia’s bed for her and under her pillow, I found a book of spells and on the last page  was a cargarli spell and I thought that” Faustus waved an arm over the tray, making the tea and sandwiches vanish and then he flipped over the  tray, revealing a picture of Zelda taped to  the  bottom  of the tray, “she would try to use it on you.”

Zelda took a step back, her hand over mouth. When she looked at Letitia, her eyes filled with horror. “Is that why you been nice to me these past few days? To lull me into a false sense of trust?”

Letitia opened her mouth but it was Faustus spoke first. “No, I don’t even want to look at you now! Get upstairs!”  Letitia left in a huff and Faustus took a shaken Zelda into his arms.

Meanwhile, Letitia wasn’t in her room long before she had a visitor.

“What the heaven were you trying to do down there?”

Letitia turned and saw Prudence standing in the doorway with her arms crossed. “Where did you come from?” Letitia asked.

“I was in the attic, hanging out with Ambrose. I was just leaving with I saw Father running down the stairs, I followed him and I heard the whole ugly scene. Did you really try to put Sister Zelda under a Cargarli spell?”

Letitia shrugged. “So, what if I did?”

Prudence shook her head. “That’s not good enough, this time. Your other spells were childish and annoying but a Cargarli spell is dangerous and traumatic to those who already were under it as Zelda and Father both were. As a girl, you should stay away from that spell.”

“You know, as a girl, I was raised a different way.”

“Yes, and you know it was wrong, or you wouldn’t have run away. Letitia, you have to let go of this anger and stop pushing away the ones that love you the most.”

“Judith! My name is Judith and why do you care so much about Zelda Spellman? She’s not your mother, either.”

“No, she isn’t,” Prudence agreed.  “But if I had to choose my own mother, I would pick Zelda every time.”

Letitia scoffed. “I bet my mother was the better stepmother.”

“Before or after she tried to kill me?”  Prudence raised her voice, disturbing Cordelia. Prudence went to the crib and patted the baby’s belly. “Sorry, Cordy, we’ll keep it down.”

Letitia, however, wanted to continue the fight. “I see, it’s wrong when my mother tries to kill you, but it’s perfectly alright when Zelda Spellman actually kills my mother?”

Prudence sighed and rolled her eyes. “For the last time, Zelda did not kill Constance.”

“How would you know?”

“I know because I helped Zelda with the delivery, the night you and Judas were born.”

Letitia looked confused. “You were there?”

“How did you not know that? You said you preformed a memory spell. What did you do, you didn’t like the 1st memory so you ended the spell early?” 1 look and Prudence knew. “Oh, Hecate, that’s exactly what happened.”

“So?”

“So, doing a memory spell for 1 memory is as foolish as reading only 1 chapter in a book and then claiming you know the whole plot. You can continue to be an angry, misinformed girl or you can do another memory spell and face reality. The choice is yours, little sister.”

A week later, Zelda awoke in the middle of the night, to the sound of crying. Since it was her turn, Zelda took extra care not to wake Faustus as she slipped out of their bed and tiptoed down the hall and into the nursery. As Zelda got nearer to the crib, the little nightlight let Zelda see that Cordelia was sound asleep. The baby was not the 1 crying in this room.

“Zelda?” The redhead turned to see Letitia in bed, tears shining all over her face.

“I’m sorry, I thought Cordelia needed me. I’m going.”

Letitia sat up and reached out to grab Zelda’s wrist. “No, please. Don’t go.”

Despite herself, Zelda’s heart jumped with hope. “You want me to stay with you?”

Letitia nodded. “Yes, but I feel like I don’t have the right to ask you to stay. In fact, you could demand that I get out of your house right now and I wouldn’t even   blame you.” Letitia started to cry again as she buried her head into her hands. “I’m so ashamed!”

Zelda sat down beside her on the cot. “Slow down, child,” Zelda gently wiped away the tears. “Now, what bought all of this on?”

She told Zelda all about her fight with Prudence and how she just quit after just 1 memory.

Zelda nodded understandingly. “So, you went back and took a look at all your father’s memories.”

“Not only his but yours too. That why it took me all week long. You didn’t need to help me but you did. You didn’t need to love me but you did. And to repay you, I was an utter jerk to you.” Letitia started to cry again and Zelda took her stepdaughter in her arms. “I just don’t know how I’m ever going to make this to you.”

“You already have. You are letting me hold you, that’s all I’ve ever wanted. All the rest is water under the   bridge.”

Letitia sniffed as she moved to hug Zelda around the waist.  “You’re so wonderful. Why are you so wonderful?”

Zelda placed a kiss into Letitia’s raven hair. “I love you. I may have only have given birth to Cordelia but I love all you children.”

“You’re not at all what Fath, I mean the curse, said you were. But he lied a lot. He always blamed me for killing my mother but I learned quite surprisingly, that I was born first.”

They sat and talked for over an hour. Suddenly, Zelda felt a presence over them. She smiled; Faustus must have heard them over the baby monitor. Zelda looked up and her smile faded.  The man before her wasn’t her husband; it was the hell minion. 

“Ms. Spellman, you have to come with me. Something’s wrong with Lilith.”

“Now?! It’s the middle of the night.”

“Go,” Encouraged Letitia, “We’ll talk tomorrow.” Zelda stroked her cheek, got up, and went with the hell minion.

Lilith was lying on her side, moaning in pain when the minion led Zelda into Lilith’s bedchamber.

“What wrong with her?” the minion asked once Zelda had a chance to examine the patient.

Zelda looked up, annoyed. “Nothing. She’s just having a baby, right now.”

“No!” Lilith cried. “It’s too soon!”

“What do you mean? You’re due in less than a week.”

“I mean for me! I don’t want to die!”

Zelda sighed. Up to the bitter end, Lilith’s pregnancy was all about her. It was a long and difficult labor. In her long career as a midwife, Zelda had seen her fair share of stubborn mothers, but Lilith was the worst. She constantly screamed at Zelda to stop the labor and Zelda tried numerous times to explain that her body was preparing itself for the birth, whether Lilith liked it or not. By early evening, Lilith was delivering.

“Push!”  ordered Zelda.

“No! I am not giving birth!”

“You have to! The head is already out!” Despite Lilith fighting her all the way, Zelda soon delivered the rest of the child. “It’s a boy!” She announced, “born at 5:40 pm on August 10th.”

Lilith said nothing but only took a glance from Zelda to tell that Lilith was not happy. Zelda felt sorry for the infant was she cut the cord, cleaned him up, and swaddled him in a blanket. “Come with me, sweet boy.” Zelda bounced the baby gently as she crossed the room and put the babe in Lilith’s arms. Lilith beheld her son for the very 1st first time, a strange expression on her face.

Lilith looked up at Zelda. “Get me out of here.” And it still all about her. Zelda sighed, rolled her eyes, and started to turn away but Lilith grabbed her sleeve. “Okay, forget about me. You got to get him out of here, I beg of you.” And there it was. For months and months, Zelda had tried to see any little maternal instinct in Lilith, any little sign to prove Lilith cared for the life inside of her. However, as the pregnancy progress, all Lilith did was complain about how uncomfortable she was and how her delay of execution was drawing closer. But now, she was begging Zelda to get the baby to safety, with or without her. Lilith was prepared to make a sacrifice, a mother’s sacrifice. At that moment, Zelda knew what she had to do.

“Ok, I’m going to get you both out of here. But you have to help me by doing what I say. Now, scream!”

“Scream?”

“Yes. If you scream, Lucifer will think you’re still in labor and that will buy us some extra time.”

So, Lilith screamed and Zelda ran around, readying both mother and child. She bought Lilith slippers and a robe. Then both witches grabbed the baby and teleported.

“Penny dreadful for your thoughts, my dear?”

Letitia looked up to see her father smiling down at her.

Faustus handed his daughter a mug of hot chocolate and sat across from her in the living room. “Are you okay? Aside from telling us about the memory spells and where Zelda went to, you barely said a word all day.”

Letitia smiled, “I’m fine, just thinking. The memory spells made me see that most of my life was a lie.”

“How I wish I could be there for you.”

“We’re together now, that’s what matters,” His daughter said sensibly. “Besides, what I really been thinking about is my name.”

“You name?”

She nodded. “I now understand why you all call me Letitia, I do, but after 16 years, I got used to the name Judith, but I think I’ve reached a compromise.”

Faustus raised an eyebrow. “A compromise? On your name?”

She smiled. “Yes. Father, what do you think of LJ?”

“LJ, huh? I like it. Trendy.” That made her laugh, “LJ Blackwood.”

LJ frowned. “Actually, after all, I learned about our family’s past and the curse, I would prefer LJ Spellman but considering what I put them through, I don’t think the family would agree.”

“I love it and I think the Spellmans will too.”

They both looked up as Zelda and Lilith holding her baby appeared before them. Zelda stepped forward. “Okay, something happened.” Zelda quickly explained what was going on and then the family spent the next 2 hours preparing the house for an attack. 3 hours later, Lucifer showed up.

“LILITH! WHERE ARE YOU?!”

Zelda told Lilith to take the baby and go up to the nursery and look after Cordelia as well.

“Don’t worry, guys. He can’t get in here. I put the magic locks on myself.” Ambrose said proudly.

Everyone heard a loud crack and the dark lord appeared in the huge hole in what used to be the Spellmans front door.

Ambrose gulped. “Never mind.”

They tried to fend him off but they were pushed aside with a wave of Lucifer’s hand. He climbed the stairs to the nursery. When the family caught up with him, they all saw the was no sign of Lilith or her newborn.

“WHERE MY SON?!” Lucifer demanded. Before anyone could say anything, a baby’s gurgle was heard and Lucifer’s attention turned to Cordelia.

“No!!” Zelda cried. After magically throwing Zelda into a wall, Lucifer picked up Cordelia.

“She’s not my son, but she’ll do until you give me my son.” Cordelia opened her eyes and cried. Her cry was so powerful, it was like a sound wave, Lucifer dropped her immediately, was pushed across the hallway, downstairs, out the ruined door and onto the lawn. Zelda ran in and picked up her daughter. After Lucifer dropped her, Cordelia landed back in her crib, unharmed, and giggled.

Zelda hugged her baby. “Thank Hecate you’re alright.”

“Nice to know that the mark of the divine is already working,” Faustus added.

“He’s passed out,” Sabrina said as she beheld Lucifer lying on the grass. “That’s good, right? Easier to get him into a cell.”

“Yeah, cuz, but he won’t stay there long. You know, we need a body to trap him in.” Ambrose sighed and got an idea. “Blackwood would be perfect for the job. Too bad we don’t know where he is.”

From her place beside Sabrina, LJ smiled. “You might not know where he is, but I do.”

Faustus wouldn’t let LJ come with him to go get Blackwood, so they worked together to draw a detailed map, then LJ stayed behind to babysit Cordelia. Meanwhile, Zelda and the others rushed to get Lucifer into chains. They even spelled him to stay out cold longer. Zelda then went upstairs to take a nap. After all, she had been up for over 53 hours.

When Hilda woke her up, she had news. “Faustus found Blackwood.”

The sisters ran downstairs and sure enough, both were there. Everyone helped with the soul transfer and Ambrose had a bonus spell to send them to hell. Later, the family went home.  Faustus said he had to go get Judas. The other Spellmans went into the kitchen, while Zelda went upstairs to check on Cordelia.

“NO!”

The others could hear Zelda’s cry and they ran upstairs only to find Zelda crying on the floor of the nursery. 

Zelda looked up and held out a letter. “I found this in the crib.”

Hilda took the letter and the more she read, the whiter she got.

“What is it, Auntie?” asked Sabrina.

Hilda looked up. “Faustus never found Blackwood. He searched all over the hideout but there was no sign of Blackwood or Judas.

“But we just saw them together.”

Hilda nodded. “Faustus knew that we couldn’t hold Lucifer for long, so after looking for Blackwood, Faustus went down to the river, made a man out of mud, used a glamour spell to make it look exactly like him so the mud man could pose as Faustus so Faustus could pose as Blackwood. Saying he was going to get Judas was like code for the spell is over and I’m going back to being mud.”

Ambrose’s head was spinning. “So, the real Faustus is-“

“In hell, with Lucifer.” Sabrina finished.

“He saved us,” Hilda said.

As the others talked, Zelda got up and left the room.

“Where are you going, Zelds?”

“I’m going to hell and getting my husband back.” Zelda charged down the stairs, the others were at her heels. However, when Zelda opened the magically restored front door, someone fainted into Zelda’s arms; someone they all knew. “Elizabeth?”

“He stole my world” was all Elizabeth Tudor could say before she passed out cold. 

[trueenemyorfalsefriend]

Caught in the Storm | ii

Connor x Original Female Character [part i] | masterlist

"Hey Barton, you in there?" The raspy voice of Hank Anderson broke the silence, and suddenly, the darkness vanished, and Sam was able to open her eyes again. Trying to understand her whereabouts and what was going on, she lifted herself up from the clean white floor in front of the bathroom stalls, slowly trying to balance herself on two legs, feeling wobbly, like it was the first time she ever tried to stand.

The bathroom she was in was completely clean, as it had been when she had entered it, but that was impossible? Three knocks on the door brought her back to reality. 'Barton?' Hank! 'YES, HANK, HELP! I am locked in here, the doorknob, I... Please help me!' She felt him trying to open the door from the other side and stepped aside when it didn't budge, knowing full well he would kick it in seconds later. With a loud bang, the door crashed open, revealing the older grey-haired man standing on the other side, giving her a worried look. 'Sam, are you okay? What happened to you?' She couldn't answer, especially not after hearing the genuine worry in his voice, she just rushed towards him and threw her hands around his neck, pressing herself against him to have something to hold onto. He hesitantly hugged her back, she felt his warm hands on her back and pressed against him harder, feeling ridiculous for the tears that were running down her face. 'Thank you...' she muttered as she let go of him, and tried to get past him when he blocked her way. 'Hey, what the heck happened in there?' 'I...' Quickly trying to think up a response that wouldn't make her seem insane, she replied with the first thing that made sense. 'I was in there and when I tried to leave, the doorknob came off and I couldn't open the door, and my claustrophobia kicked in and suddenly made it seem like the walls were closing in on me and then I screamed and no one heard me, and my god thank you, Hank, thank you so much.' She hugged him again. He seemed to be satisfied with her response, quickly patting her back again. 'Well, you're welcome. Fowler called you and me to his office, and when you weren't there and weren't showing up either he sent me looking for you.' The captain had asked for her? 'What did he want?' she asked irritatedly, while they were starting to walk back to the office area. 'I don't fucking know, he wouldn't say anything before you were there.' She shook her head, trying to rid herself of the thoughts about what had just happened, and tried to return to her usual, more cheerful and optimistic point of view. 'Then let's go find out, shall we, Hanky?'

'Alright, you two still gettin' along as well as you did back in the 'Red Ice Task Force''? Asked Captain Fowler, while she and Hank sat on the other side of the old wooden desk in his office. 'I sure hope so.' she muttered while Hank just nodded. Sam had joined the DCPD shortly after Hank had been promoted to Lieutenant for his successful Red Ice Operation in 2028, and had helped him out significantly with finding a metric ton of Red Ice a couple of years later in 2031, and the two had been friends ever since then. 'Well, I have decided to switch up teams here. As you might have noticed, I have recently hired a couple of new employees as well as some androids to help us out with the Red Ice Epidemic, and I want you two to work on something else now.' 'You're kicking us out of the Red Ice Investigations?' Sam asked with a shocked expression on her face, while Hank seemed as indifferent as usual. 'Try not to see it like that, rather as a sort of promotion! I need my best people working on these deviant cases.' Deviants.Sam had heard of deviants, androids apparently malfunctioning, awakening, feeling human emotions, becoming more human? Always having been intrigued by androids themselves and especially deviants, she cocked her head slightly and asked: 'So what exactly does that entail then?' 'You'll be assigned cases that look like an android or a deviant has been involved, and you will track them down and bring them in, it's as easy as that... Well, almost. CyberLife insists on following the protocol for this, and that involves sending us an android for assistance.' Hank's head suddenly jerked up, and he looked directly at Fowler. 'What?! Jeffrey, I can't do that, I can't work with those plastic assholes.' Hank frantically shook his head now, his eyes wide open in panic, while Sam tried to rationalize the situation she knew was very personal to Hank. 'They send you an android to help you find androids?' Sam questioned, and Fowler nodded. 'I tried to convince them that we didn't need any assistance, but they harshly persisted. They'll send some sorta special model here, it'll be here tonight or tomorrow, I'm afraid I can't change that, Hank.' Hank shook his head again angrily, then stood up and furiously took off through Fowler's office door. 'I think I should go after him...' Sam excused herself as Fowler nodded understandingly and she bolted after Hank, rushing to his desk only to find it vacant, then running outside to where his car was usually parked, only to find the spot empty and Hank gone.

Sam had decided to leave Hank alone for the day, to just work as long as she had to, to finish up all of her Red Ice files and then force herself to go home and not go out searching for him in his favourite bars. She would talk to him tomorrow, and try to calm him down and open him up to the idea of working with an android, which might very possibly be beneficial for their detective work. It was way past 10 pm when she checked her watch, much later than she'd originally planned to go home, partly because of all of her work, but also because she couldn't bear the feeling of going home without knowing if Hank was safe. Sam licked the tip of her thumb and slowly turned the page on her most recent case report, not really paying attention to what she was reading.   Would he do something stupid? Would he hurt himself deliberately? Would he kill himself? Sam knew of his backstory, she had gotten to know his son Cole before he had died tragically, and she had witnessed this incident draining all life and happiness out of Hank. She turned the page again, absentmindedly drawing some scribbles on her wooden desk. Oh fuck it, she'd try to call him at least and then go home. Just to make sure. Grabbing her coat from the back of her chair, she quickly swung it around her shoulders to shield her from the cold outside, then pulled her bag over her shoulder and snatched her phone from the table, before she rapidly made her way through the office building downstairs. As soon as she'd entered the elevator, Sam dialed Hank's number and waited. And waited. Then, suddenly, when she almost didn't expect an answer anymore, a crack, a loud static noise and then: 'Hello?' Hank's voice sounded groggy and slurry, drunk and sad. 'Hank, it's me, Sam. You okay?' 'Wha- of course, I am, what are you now, my mother? Don't you worry I'm fucking brilliant, I'll see you tomorrow.' Another grunting, a cracking noise and he was gone. That was not the way Sam had hoped for this conversation to go, but she guessed she couldn't really do much but wait for tomorrow to come, to try and cheer him up a little. She sighed as the elevator stopped, typing a quick message to Hank to call her if he needed anything while getting off the elevator. When she paused for a moment to glance over the final message before sending it, her phone started ringing in her hands. Half hoping it to be Hank, she picked up, registering a female voice on the other end. 'Detective?' It was Sarah, the android that worked at the reception upstairs. 'Hi Sarah, everything alright?' 'Yes, of course, thank you for asking. There is someone here, who is asking about Lieutenant Anderson. Do you perhaps know, where he is?' Someone asking about Hank? Maybe family, that she didn't know about since he avoided talking about his personal life at all times. 'I'm not sure, but I think he's probably having a drink or two nearby, but I can't tell you which bar he's in for sure, sorry, Sarah.' 'That's alright, thank you, Detective. Have a nice evening!' 'Thank you, Sarah, goodnight!' Sam answered and hung up. She always tried to be as nice as possible to the androids, that she worked with or encountered anywhere else, on the one hand, because she knew, that they were often treated terribly by others, with people treating them like slaves or even abuse them in worse ways. Even though she knew they were 'just' machines, she felt like you could at least treat them with respect. On the other hand, because her father had been a friend of their creator, Elijah Kamski, when they were younger, and he had provided them with a prototype android named Kyle after her mother had died in a car crash when Sam had just turned 10, who had been there for them ever since, teaching her to appreciate androids in ways that other people never really understood. She smiled to herself as she thought of the past times with Kyle and her father, and the smile almost didn't leave her face until she was in bed a little later, cuddled up with her old, black tomcat Lucius, until her phone vibrated, signaling an incoming text message. [Hank, 11:40 pm]: sam, possible homicide involving a deviant, 4167 prudence street, be there ASAP, i'm on my way.