#platonic nightshade

[tosteur-gluteal]

end his misery

[ballad-of-a-bard]

I would like to know the names of all the stars in the sky So I may look out into the greatness and smile for I have found companions. I would like to know the stars’ stories So I may look out into the greatness and smile for I have learnt who they are, and I can be close to them though we are so far. I would like to know what makes a star shine, and fall, and burn, and flicker out, and be So I may look out into the greatness and smile for I have understood them.

-Ballad of a Bard

[chillykitty]

[whizzerd]

@sapphic-summer-riordanverse-2023 day 4: stargazing

ID A drawing of Zoë Nightshade and Artemis on a dark starry night. They are lit by a campfire. Artemis is looking up at a shooting star but Zoë is only looking at her. 

Zoë is a teenage girl with light brown skin and a long dark braid. She has a sheath of arrows slung across her back. 

Artemis appears as a black teenage girl with braids, her braids each have a silver star or moon charm at the end. She’s holding a bow loosely in one hand, the other holds Zoë’s.

They are both wearing silver camo jackets with white fur lining the collar and a silver circlet on their foreheads. END ID

[n-arts-hideaway]

Whenever I get really tough schoolwork, I always imagine walking into the barn and asking Nightshade to help me with it, because I’m a science major and that’s their THING.

And they’re just THRILLED because they LOVE learning and helping people.

Even if it’s something they don’t know, I just imagine us figuring it out together, and me finally getting it because it’s being explained to me in-depth, and by someone who’s passionate about the subject.

[i-am-bella-donna]

Hurricane Chapter 1

Acegust 2024 Week 3: Angst With a Happy Ending

AO3 | Next Chapter

Story Summary:

There were no thunderstorms in Heaven. Vaggie did not understand how anyone could enjoy this.

Pairings: Platonic Vaggie x Angel Dust, Platonic Vaggie x Sir Pentious

Word Count: 544

CONTENT WARNINGS: N/A

A/N: Here we go! I am back on my bullshit!

Seriously, I am enjoying myself way too much.

~~~

There were no thunderstorms in Heaven.

Vaggie did not understand how anyone could enjoy this.

The walls groaned as winds smashed debris into the Hotel’s exterior. Lightning flashed bright against the dark sky—had Vaggie not known any better, she would have thought it was night instead of midday. A roar of thunder sent tremors through the foundation of the building.

Or perhaps Vaggie was the one shaking, if the way her teeth chattered was any indication.

Was this normal for a thunderstorm?

Was the building supposed to sound like it was screaming?

“I do love a good ssstorm,” Pentious sighed happily from his spot on the couch, and Vaggie wanted to throw something at him.

Behind the bar counter, Husk snorted. “Sure—it’s all fun and games until you get caught outside with fur.”

“…You make a good point.”

Husk rolled his eyes. Thunder crashed. Vaggie flinched.

Why was the rain so loud?

This storm had come suddenly, catching all of Pentagram City off guard. Aqueous rain in the Pride Ring was rare, and unlike brief acid showers, these rainstorms had the potential to be long and disastrous. In her three years in Hell, Vaggie had been lucky enough to avoid this weather so far.

Charlie promised her it was not so bad.

Vaggie already wanted to vomit.

Her mind was foggy, thoughts slow and sticky as molasses. Her body, on the other hand, vibrated like a live wire—every muscle was pulled taut with suffocating fear and the overwhelming urge to get away from the rain. Distantly, she heard footsteps, but she could not tear her eyes away from the window. A knot tightened in her chest.

Lightning flared through the room. The lights flickered. Vaggie inhaled sharply.

Before she could recover, a deafening crash of thunder shook the entire building. A high-pitched noise—she refused to call it a shriek—tore past her lips.

Pentious snapped his head in her direction, brows furrowed as she hurriedly schooled her expression into one of neutrality. He reached a tentative hand toward her before letting it drop. “Are you…all right?”

She blinked rapidly to clear her vision, belatedly noticing that Husk was gone. When had he left? “I’m fine, Pentious,” she responded, clumsily rubbing her upper arms. Her fingers were numb.

Her voice sounded hollow—and very much not fine.

If Pentious’s frown was any indication, he did not believe her, either.

But before he could speak up, the Hotel doors slammed open—another crash that made her jump—and Angel fell into the lobby. Literally.

Vaggie cringed at the sight of his soaking fur, remembering Husk’s earlier comment, as Pentious quickly moved to help him up.

“Long day?” she asked, digging her nails into her arms as Pentious led Angel to the couch. Her voice wavered as another boom of thunder sent vibrations through the building. Pentious shot her a look, but Angel did not notice her strange behavior as he shook his head.

“Not really, believe it or not. Val actually let us go early.” Angel flopped backwards onto the arm of the couch and scrubbed at his face. “But he made me walk home in the fucking rain.”

Vaggie opened her mouth—but before she could reply, every light in the building flared.

And then the Hotel plunged into darkness.

[cyber-streak-2]

Have there been multichangers in Earthspark yet? If not, what are your headcanons on the Terrans meeting one, or just finding out that having more than one alt mode is a thing that can happen?

Mmm, I don’t think there’s been any multichangers in it yet.

(TFES) Terran siblings with a Cybertronian Reader that has multiple modes/is a multi-changer:

{You’d been called out by Optimus to help out the Terrans with something, becoming a teacher for them all. They don’t know the fact that you have several alt-modes until you actually transform into each for whatever reason.}

{All of the siblings are a mix of surprised and curious after they learn how many alt-modes you have. And while you’re practicing/training in each mode, you answer whatever questions they may have.}

{None of them actually knew that someone could have more than one alt-mode.}

{Jawbreaker considers it already pretty hard to figure out one alt-mode, so he wonders how you managed to pick and settle on all of yours. Which, you happily tell him and his siblings about how you chose your alt’s.}

{If you have a flying alt-mode (whether it be a kind of vehicle or an animal), you like to fly around with Twitch and Nightshade.}

{Sometimes you’ll drive around Thrash & Hashtag, and sometimes you’ll just sit and chat with Jawbreaker- there’s a lot that can be talked about.}

{If any of the siblings show an interest in wanting another alt-mode, then you immediately decide to help them out with trying to choose.}

[thesundowncrew]

but i have to make it so I like the world

because it has me too // 🌇

😻🍀✨💀 Read Tales of Sundown on webtoon canvas!

[reikodash]

vent(?) painting i made a few days ago but went way further than i thought i would with it lmao. sometimes you platonically love so much it physically hurts <3

[i-am-bella-donna]

Holy shit. This art is fucking gorgeous. The lighting, the outfits, the emotions—words cannot express how much I adore it.

Also, I love the idea of a friendship between Angel and Stolas.

Do you think sinners miss the night sky..?

(Please click for better quality!!)

[nightshadeweek]

Nightshade Week 2024 Prompts & Rules

Find the text version of the images in this post!

These are the prompts for Nightshade Week 2024!

The event has three themes: Headspace for fluffier and happier prompts, Whitespace for thematic prompts, and Blackspace for darker and angstier prompts. You can pick whichever suits you best, mix and match, or do your own thing.

Nightshade Week 2024 will run from Monday 25 November until Sunday 1 December.

Daily prompts

Some inspiration for each prompt.

Jokers are for when none of a day's prompts appeal to you, but you still want to follow a prompt and not borrow from other days.

The jokers are Alternate Universe, Truth/Lie, and Vulnerable.

Rules and Guidelines

Above all, have fun!

Enter the event however you would enjoy it most, that's all that matters. If you're interested in being reblogged by the account, these could be an interesting read.

What tag can I use?

You can use the Twitter tag #nightshadeweek2024 and the Tumblr tag #nightshade week 2024. You can also tag the account (@nightshadeweek on both platforms) if your entry wasn't seen or send a DM to the account.

How do I pick prompts?

You're free to use and interpret the prompts however you want. You don't have to do all the prompts, you can skip days, you can mix prompts, you can do prompts on different days, etc. If you want, you can also simply submit some Nightshade fanworks that don't follow any prompts. This event is all about celebrating Nightshade and creating new things for it together.

What content will be shared by the account?

This event is accessible to all ages. While canon compliant dark themes and gore are allowed, any works with sexually explicit content won't be shared by the account for this reason.

Do I have to complete every day or follow one category?

Not at all! You can do one day or all days. You can do one path or all paths. You don't have to follow a set path either; the categories are just there to give the prompts themes. You can do for example one Headspace prompt, two Whitespace prompts, and four Blackspace prompts. Mix and match as you see fit!

Can I submit late entries?

Late entries are definitely welcome! After the event has ended, I will still regularly check the tag and share late entries.

Can I add other characters and ships to my fanworks?

Go wild! The main focus should be on nightshade in order for it to be shared, but other characters and ships (including other Omori or Stranger ships) can be depicted as well.

Do my entries have to follow canon?

Nope! You can work within any canon you want, so long as the characters featured focus on Omori and Stranger in some way. You want to do the entirety of the week for an AU where they're real people? Go wild!

Can I make platonic works too?

Absolutely! All dynamics are celebrated here.

Let's see what beautiful creations y'all have in store, and I look forward to seeing the fanworks that flow from this!

[chillykitty]

Happy Aro Week everypony

commission info

[in1-nutshell]

Greetings, can i request an Earthspark Buddy, who's the youngest terran and was born after the last episode of season one, they got a Brown Bat alt mode, and have a sonic scream. When they found out the first time, they fled to the woods, their family was worried sick, but after some time they came back and told everyone that everything was fine.

They kept dissapearing some days and this worried their fam, they called megatron to help them follow Buddy and find where they go. They find Buddy at the middle of some free space and then they hear a guitar, Frenzy and the other cassettes appear and calls them their adopted sib. Buddy Laughs and Soundwave appears, the maltos and Megs come out of their hiding spot and take possitions to attack and defend Buddy.

Soundwave attacked first and they began fighting. Buddy, in distress, released a Sonic scream. Everyone was on the ground, their sibling couldn’t believe that they controled it after not much time. They told their family that Soundwave was their friend and that the should not fight, Soundwave had been mentoring them on their ability and helping them understand cybertronian things.

The maltos didn’t trust Soundwave because of the past, but Buddy seemed happy with them, and the other way around with the cassettes. The cassettes helped them too, so they controled their ability much faster because of the help they have been getting. Megatron was still 9n disbelief, but he understood. Soundwave had alredy lost a kid, and this one was their new menteé and they wouldn’t let anything happen to them.

By the endeverything turns up good, but now a family member had ti be around in the lessons.

(I love found family trope, you are amazing and don’t feel bad about the other requests, it wasn't your fault)

Love that Found Family Trope too!

Hope you enjoy!

Buddy the Terran with a bat alt mode

SFW, Platonic, Familial, Slight Angst, Cybertronain (Terran) reader

TFE

It was an unspoken rule that Buddy was the youngest.

No one really knew who was the oldest from the newest group of Terrans, but it was agreed that Buddy was the youngest.

Though they were the first to scan their alt mode.

Thrash: “Has anyone seen Buddy?” Mo: “I thought they were with Robbie.” Robbie: “I thought they were with Twitch?” Jawbreaker points to the top of the barn roof. Jawbreaker: “Look!” Buddy is slightly crouching in their new alt mode blinking at the others. Twitch: “They got their alt mode!” Robbie: “Buddy! You’re a bat!” Buddy: “Yeah…” Nightshade: “Why don’t you come down so we can have a better look.” Buddy: “…I can’t get down…” Hashtag: “What do you mean you can’t get down?” Buddy: “I don’t know how to get down!” Robbie: “How did you even get up there?” Buddy squeaking: “I don’t know! One minute I’m visiting Barry and the next I’m on the roof!” Mo: “Who’s Barry!?”

Dot received a video from Hashtag of Buddy in their new alt mode on top of the roof while Thrash and Jawbreaker were telling them to jump into their arms.

Alex was holding onto dear life as his wife hit the gas and sped back to the house.

After nearly another hour of trying to get Buddy from off the roof, they finally alerted Bumblebee to come and help.

Bumblebee: “Its alright Buddy! Its going to be okay!” Buddy slowly inched to the ledge. Buddy: “Are you sure this is a good idea?” Bumblebee: “You’ll be fine! Just jump—AAAHHHHHH!!” SLAM! Bumblebee was on the floor with Buddy sitting on his chassis. Bumblebee groaning: “You were supposed to wait for my count….” Buddy: “It worked when Barry tried it.” Bumblebee: “Who’s Barry?”

Other than the ‘Roof incident’, things seemed to be going well for the Terrans and the Maltos.

That, however, changed on one Family Movie Night.

Hashtag had chosen an old timey slasher film with some of the fakest props ever.

Many of the Terrans were laughing and having a good time… except Buddy.

It wasn’t until a particular jump scare came up that they screamed.

But this scream literally through most of their family back.

In their panic state, Buddy transformed and flew into the woods behind the barn.

Everyone was both in shock and worried for Buddy.

By the looks of it, Buddy didn’t even know they could do that… sonic screech either.

What if they hurt themselves on accident?

What if they got lost?

What if someone found them?!

Dot is about to call in Megatron and Optimus to help look for Buddy when said Terran carefully descended in the middle of the cow field.

Buddy nervously fiddling with their alt modes digits. They look up to see their family run to them. Buddy: “Listen I’m so, so, so, sorry—” Nightshade gets to them first and wraps their wings around them. Nightshade: “Thank goodness you’re okay!” Jawbreaker, Hashtag, Twitch and Thrash also throw themselves into the group hug. Buddy sniffles a bit before they let go and turn to their human family. Buddy: “I- I so—” Mo and Robbie hug them the best they can. Alex and Dot follow right behind. Dot places a hand on the side of their face. Buddy leans into her touch. Dot: “You okay baby? You gave us quite the scare there?” Buddy slowly nods. Buddy: “I… I just needed some space. I’m still sorry about what happened with movie night…” Alex: “Forget movie night kiddo. The important thing is that everyone is okay.” Buddy: “Yeah… I bet Barry was scared too. I need to say sorry to him too.” Alex: “Who’s Barry?”

The family made sure to tell the bots about Buddy’s new screeching abilities the next day.

It was rather difficult for the bots to find ways to help Buddy control/ train their screech.

None of them had experience with training with sound.

Buddy soon found themselves a bit left out on training, so as not trigger their scream.

This was also around the time that the family started noticing Buddy begin to stray into the woods and not come back until the evening time.

At first, they didn’t think too much about it.

It wasn’t until they started missing some mandatory training and coming back even later at night that the family started worrying.

Mo and Robbie tried to talk to them, but they only patted their heads and continued on their way.

The other Terrans tried to talk to them, which led to a sky chase between Buddy, Nightshade and Twitch.

Twitch and Nightshade groaned as they walked back to the house. Robbie: “Where have you two been?” Twitch: “We got lost trying to find Buddy.” Nightshade: “Did they come back?” Jawbreaker: “Yeah, they came back a few hours ago and just waddled to he barn.” Hashtag: “They said they needed to tell Barry something.” Nightshade: “Who’s Barry?”

The latter two got lost in the woods while Buddy returned to the roof of the barn.

Dot decided to bring in reinforcements and calls in the bots.

The next day the Maltos and bots follow Buddy into the woods.

They all hide once Buddy stops flying and waddles a bit into a clearing.

Twitch from Megatron’s shoulder. Twitch: “What are they doing?” Thrash: “Ha! They’re doing the waddle!” Hashtag: “Hush Thrash!” Everyone quiets down at the sound of a familiar jet landing into the clearing. Soundwave transformed right in front of Buddy and let the minicons out too. Buddy waves their wings a bit. Frenzy chuckled as she put them in a mini helm lock. Jawbreaker: “They’re under attack!” Optimus: “Autobots and Terrans roll out!” The bots come out of their hiding places just as Soundwave had picked up Buddy from underneath their wings. Buddy squeaked in surprised at their family and the bots being at the clearing. Buddy: “Guys? What are you—” Megatron: “Release the Terran Soundwave. No one has to get hurt here.” Frenzy, Lazerbeak and Ravage stand in front of Soundwave. Frenzy: “You want ‘em? You’ll just have to go through us!” Soundwave puts Buddy down behind him and readies himself. Buddy had a nervous face. Buddy: “Wait I—” Their pleas were drowned out by the sound of Soundwave’s fist on Megatron face.

The fight broke out.

Thankfully it didn’t last long.

Buddy had let out a low scream, making everyone stop in their tracks.

Once they stopped, they nervously waddled to the middle of the bots and cons.

They explained to the bots and their family that they had been seeing Soundwave for the past few weeks to help train them.

Soundwave had the best experience with sound and how to use it.

They begged Megatron and Dot to let them continue to train under the Decepticon.

Dot looked unsure, but seeing the results did put her in a tough decision.

Megatron just looked at his former friend.

Soundwave looked ready to fight him again in order to continue to see the little bat.

It had him thinking about…

Megatron walks a bit to Soundwave. Buddy nervously began to rub their digits a bit. Megatron looks at Soundwave. Megatron: “… Have you ever harmed them?” Soundwave: “No.” Soundwave: “Do you intend to use them for any future plans with the Decepticons?” Soundwave: “No.” Megatron turns to Dot: “I don’t see why not. Soundwave is the only Cybertronian we know of that can help with Buddy’s new abilities…” Dot makes her way to Soundwave. Dot: “You can train Buddy… but I swear if my kid comes back hurt from one of your outing, I. Will. Come. For. You.”

The first few times Buddy went to training, they had to be accompanied by someone.

From Mo and Robbie to Megatron and Optimus.

Slowly it turned into a babysitter.

Until Buddy went to practice and noticed no one had followed them.

Buddy had flown straight into Soundwave’s arms that day just letting out little jittery chirps and squeaks into his chassis.

Soundwave just held them close to his spark.

This little bat had managed to squeeze their way into his spark and he was not letting them go anytime soon.

[deltajuli]

They prepared themselves for the transphobes

Little silly doodle because of their official toy hehehe

Owl with knives 😌✨

[n-arts-hideaway]

Nightshade holding my hand for moral support as I get blood drawn (I fucking HATE the doctor’s and bloodwork) and gently telling me interesting facts about blood (because it’s the needle I have a problem with, not the blood) and they’re kind of disappointed when it’s over because “I haven’t finished telling her HALF of the interesting facts I’ve acquired about the human circulatory system!”

[i-am-bella-donna]

Debrief

AO3

Story Summary:

Sir Pentious was not an expert at handling emotions, be it his own or those of others. But he would be damned a second time if he let his doubts prevent him from helping a friend.

Pairings: Platonic Charlie x Sir Pentious

Word Count: 2,125

CONTENT WARNINGS: N/A

A/N: At last, this story is done. It has been in the works since Dad Beat Dad came out.

I wish the fandom gave Sir Pentious more attention. He seems like someone who is well-meaning and compassionate, but very awkward about showing it. Additionally, he was born in the 1800s. He has a lot of life experience, and may be the only main character who can rival Charlie in terms of age (assuming it is still canon that she is 200). My point is, I think he has the potential to be more than just comic relief. Hence—this.

Also, I have missed writing hurt/comfort. Enjoy!

~~~

Sir Pentious would be the first to admit it—emotions were not his strong suit.

He experienced them, of course. He had yet to meet a Sinner who lacked emotions—even Alastor was prone to bouts of irritation whenever the subject of his television rival arose.

But having emotions was one thing. Talking about them was another thing entirely.

Five months ago, he would not have dared. But those past five months had made all the difference.

So here he was.

Squaring his shoulders, Pentious summoned his courage and knocked on the door.

Only a few beats passed before it flew open, and Charlie grinned up at him brightly. “Hello, Pentious! Did you need something?”

Her smile was contagious, as it had been since Lucifer departed earlier that day, and Pentious found himself returning the expression when he replied, “Actually, dear, I was hoping to speak with you. Do you have a moment to chat?”

Charlie was stepping aside and ushering him into the room before he could even finish his sentence. “Of course!”

He followed her inside and was instantly greeted by an explosion of belongings scattered about. Following his gaze, Charlie laughed sheepishly and scratched the back of her neck. “Sorry about the mess—I was just packing for Heaven.”

“So soon?”

“Well, yeah!” She bounced on her toes. “We don’t know when the meeting will be yet, so it’s better to be prepared. I just can’t believe this is really happening!” Charlie laughed, equal parts excited and disbelieving. “I can’t believe most of today, actually.”

For just a second, Charlie stilled, her normally bottomless energy coming to a halt and her smile slipping off her face before being immediately plastered back on. It was so quick, Pentious almost thought he had imagined it.

Almost.

“So!” Charlie exclaimed as though nothing had happened. She sat on her bed with a bounce and gestured for him to join her at one of the chairs. “What did you want to talk about?”

“Actually,” Pentious began, taking a seat and a moment to steel his nerves. “You already brought it up.”

There it was again—for less than a heartbeat, Charlie faltered.

Pentious was an engineer, first and foremost. Machines and gadgets were his domain. On the contrary, people confused him greatly. A flicker of emotion could mean anything, with tells varying from person to person like favorite colors or coffee preferences. That being said, he was an expert at gathering evidence—and regardless of its meaning, the expression on her face when Charlie froze was an obvious sign that something was wrong.

Probably.

Maybe he should have pushed harder for Angel to come up here instead.

“What do you mean?” Charlie asked, and Pentious internally winced at the note of caution in her tone. It was barely there—he might not have recognized it at all, had he not already seen the same glimmer of emotion that morning. When Charlie had been on the phone with her father, no less—the last person who should have inspired such caution in her.

It was sad at first. It was even sadder now.

But instead of voicing his thoughts, he decided to start with a simple question. “How are you feeling, Charlie?”

Charlie blinked.

Pentious waited.

He could be patient, far more than the others gave him credit for—if he had been one to give up easily, his beloved Egg Bois would never have progressed past the stage of yellow gunk on his laboratory floor.

Finally, Charlie pulled together an answer. “I’m happy.”

Despite the cheery tone, it was a testament to her exhaustion that Charlie did not punctuate the statement with her usual exclamation points and verbal emojis. She now bore a closer resemblance to the anxious demon doing Lucifer knows what in the Hotel lobby that morning.

Perhaps he should have brought his concerns to Vaggie instead of approaching Charlie directly. What if his involvement only made the situation worse?

Well, it was too late to turn back now.

“Of course,” he said nervously. “Just…”

What was it that Charlie always said about healthy relationships?

Be honest.

Pentious took a deep breath and tried again. “I noticed you seemed incredibly worried when we were preparing the Hotel this morning. More nervous than any young lady should be at the thought of seeing her father.”

Charlie laughed awkwardly, turning away from him slightly and tucking a stray piece of hair behind her ear. “I don’t think I really count as young, Pentious—”

“And the two of you improved your relationship today—which is truly wonderful!” He continued at a hurried pace, averting his eyes as he spoke. “But, dear—you can’t deny that you’ve had quite a day. So…” He swallowed. “After all of that, how are you feeling?”

Charlie stared.

Before he could react, she was lunging from her seat and wrapping her arms around him.

Pentious startled but returned the embrace, worry morphing into something more akin to alarm. “Are you…all right?” he asked her tentatively.

She pulled away, both her smile and eyes bright. “Sorry!” she said with a laugh, swiping at her eyes. “Sorry, just—that’s so sweet!” Her smile softened. “I’m so proud to see how far you’ve come, Pentious.”

Had the circumstances been any different, Pentious would have taken the opportunity to bask under the praise. However, he had come here with a mission, and he could not help but notice….

“You’re deflecting, dear,” he pointed out gently.

Charlie stiffened, her smile growing sheepish, and Pentious watched with an internal wince as she all but deflated at the callout. “Is it that obvious?”

“You were a bit of a wreck this morning,” he admitted, watching her carefully. “Both Angel and I have been quite concerned.”

“Angel?”

“Of course!” Was she really so surprised to learn that they had been worried about her? “He would have come here himself, had he not needed to check on Husk.”

Charlie blinked, back straightening. “Wait, Husk? What’s wrong with Husk?”

Shit.

“Nothing, dear!” he quickly backtracked, trying to steer away from that precarious topic. Now was not the time. “Husk is fine—Angel just needed to speak with him about something.” It was technically true. A little more firmly, Pentious continued. “And we aren’t talking about Husk right now. We’re talking about you.”

Charlie blinked again. “What about me?”

“Are you okay, Charlie?”

She smiled.

Pentious returned the gesture with a tentative smile of his own.

Her smile fell.

Pentious silently extended a hand, allowing her to collect herself as she set her hand in his. She blinked rapidly, taking a shuddering breath before she spoke.

“I’m happy Dad and I made up,” she finally tried. Her voice was high, as though she was asking a question. “Really, I am! But it’s also…”

Charlie faltered, eyes darting around.

After a moment, Pentious offered, “Bittersweet?”

“I…yeah.”

Her eyes were glistening slightly, but she did not seem to notice, and Pentious squeezed her hand lightly. When she did not continue, he cleared his throat and decided to try a different approach. “Did you know I was a father in life?”

Now that got her attention.

Her head snapped up. “You were?”

Pentious smiled fondly at both her reaction and the memories. “I was,” he said. “I had two beautiful children—a son and a daughter. In Heaven now, hopefully.”

Almost certainly—he had spent the majority of his afterlife scouring Hell for a sign of them. Over a century after his own death, Pentious could finally rest easy with the knowledge that his children had most likely made it past the pearly gates.

“I may not have been the best man, but I like to believe I was a good father.” His children had both adored him. After his wife died, he did his best to keep a roof over their head and food on the table—no matter the cost. “And…” His voice grew more serious. “Even after all these decades in Hell, if my daughter ever worried about interacting with me as much as you worried about interacting with your own father, I would know I had failed as a parent.”

Charlie froze.

And then she erupted.

“It’s not like—it’s nothing like that!” she blurted out.

“Charlie—”

“My dad was never exactly a bad parent—and he’s already doing better, too—”

“Charlie—”

“And I really didn’t mean to give you the wrong idea! Really, it’s fine—”

“Charlie,” Pentious interrupted, and she miraculously fell silent.

He swallowed hard, regret twisting his gut. Why had he decided to lead this conversation? Why could he not leave well enough alone?

Unfortunately, it was too late to have doubts—and Pentious was not a quitter.

“Charlie,” he tried again, speaking more calmly this time. “I…I am not trying to say that you shouldn’t love your father. And I’m not calling him a bad man.” Even if Pentious really wanted to judge his parenting skills. “Watching you two reconcile was heartwarming. What I am trying to say is…your relationship improving doesn’t mean it has to be fine just yet. If…if you have mixed feelings, that is completely understandable.”

Was he explaining himself correctly?

Despite the temptation to backtrack, Pentious swallowed and focused on Charlie as she mulled over his words. It was a testament to her doubt that she did not meet his eyes when she spoke. “I want to move on from the past.”

“And you can,” he promised, his heart aching for her. “You and your father can have a genuinely happy relationship. He clearly adores you.” He hesitated. “But…well, it’s like you’ve said before: communication and trust are the most important parts of a relationship. Right?”

Was he remembering that correctly? After all the speeches Charlie had given on the topic, he certainly hoped so.

“Things may not be okay right now, but they can improve. You just need to talk to him more. Have an…an open conversation about the past.”

With his thoughts finally out, Pentious let out a breath. There—he had finally said it.

Charlie was silent as she chewed on her lower lip. It was a far cry from her usual optimism. Pentious was sad to see her looking so lost. So…young.

He knew Charlie was technically older than him—but Hellborn demons aged at a different rate, did they not? In some matters, he was more experienced than her, and that realization hit him like a train.

Charlie hesitantly broke the silence, drawing him from his thoughts. “What if I only make things worse?”

She appeared visibly embarrassed by the question. Still, this was one question Pentious could answer with certainty.

“If your father loves you—and we both know he does—then he’ll be willing to listen to you,” he reassured her, setting both of his hands on her shoulders. “And he’ll be willing to put in the effort to fix your relationship.”

Despite his attempt at encouragement, Charlie still watched him with wide-eyed worry, and Pentious itched with the urge to do something to help. Without thinking about it, he moved forward and hugged her tightly, and any fears of overstepping dissolved when she immediately returned the hug tenfold, slumping against him.

Pentious let out a breath through his nose, ignoring the memories of a young girl with dark hair hugging him with the same fierce desperation, well over a century ago. Now was not the time to get lost in his head—not when he had a goal to achieve.

And if the way her previous tension was practically falling away Charlie in waves, he was well on his way.

You’ll be okay, Charlie. I promise.

Finally, Charlie moved to pull back, and Pentious released her, clearing his throat.

“Now then,” he said awkwardly, averting his eyes and straightening his clothing. “I’m very glad we had this talk.” An uncomfortable beat of silence. “I should let you finish packing! Goodbye!”

Having completed his task and reached his emotional limit for the day, Pentious was ready to leave and spend the rest of his day hiding out in his room. However, a hand on his wrist stopped him from bolting, Charlie staring up at him with earnest eyes.

“Thank you,” she said, full of sincerity. Her smile was calmer than before—now that Pentious could see the difference, he wondered how he had not noticed it before. “If—if this was the kind of father you used to be, then your kids are gonna be so happy to see you again in Heaven.”

He returned the smile with one of his own, ignoring the way his eyes welled up just slightly.

Did she know how much it meant to hear those words?

“Of course, dear. Anytime.”

Realistically, he doubted he would ever reach the pearly gates. But as long as Charlie believed in him, he was willing to give redemption a try.

~~~

A/N: The short mentions of Angel and Husk are references to another story I am working on. While Pentious is speaking with Charlie in this story, Angel is speaking with Husk regarding his interaction with Alastor. The latter story will be linked here when it is complete.