acosmicbee

[acosmicbee]

Drop Off Day - Non-Cannon Fluffy Shenanigans

"Are you sure you'll be okay, honey? I mean, this is your first time being away from home ever." Lucy asked, nervously vibrating as she walked around your dorm room. She picked up a mug she'd just put down, only to move it over a couple of inches. "I just worry, you know I do! I mean, you saw me after Ethan and Benny moved out!"

"I'm gonna be fine, I promise." You said, taking her anxiously trembling hands in yours. "I mean, my roommate seems nice. I think they're exploring campus with their mom."

"Mhm, and what's their mother's name again? Art something? She seemed really nice. I wonder if she'd like to meet up for a drink sometime."

"Artemis, mom." You chuckled, leading her over to the door of your dorm. "Look, it's time for parents to leave. Just call or text, and I'll always answer."

"Fine... but you better give me daily updates! I mean it!" She said, finally leaving you alone in your room.

You slumped down onto your bed, burying your face in your hands. It was harder than you had expected, saying goodbye. You let out a quiet hiccuping sob, barely audible-

"I KNEW IT!" Lucy yelled, bursting back into your room. "Come on baby, we're going home!"

"MOM NO-!"

---------------

"You're a singer, why do you even need to go to college?" Blair asked, grimacing at the tiny size of your dorm room. "And this room... it's so small..."

"It's ugly, too. Those white walls aren't doing anything for anybody." Rowan added. Your dad had been busy, and Chris was with him, so they'd been left to drop you off at college. They were acting like divorced parents with the way they kept glaring at each other and talking over one another.

"Just because I'm a singer doesn't mean I shouldn't pursue some kind of higher education." You sighed, taking a moment to smack Kenji and Dante's hands away from your mini-fridge. "Stop touching everything."

"Sorry, your majesty," Dante said, rolling his eyes. "Maeve and Calliope are doing the exact same thing, though!"

"I was going to tell them to knock it out as well. You aren't the only one." You said, rolling your eyes. "Now come on, I want you guys to see the dining hall before you leave."

"Oh, we're not leaving," Rowan said with a smirk. "Sorry, not sorry, kid."

"Oh yeah, well neither are we!" Blair shot back, glaring at him. "I got hired to help out with the music department on campus to keep an eye on Y/N, and Maeve and Calliope are going to help me."

"No? We got hired to help out the music department." Kenji said, frowning.

You just groaned, walking ahead of them as they devolved into a bickering mess. Maybe you should take another vacation during winter break...

---------------

"-and as part of orientation, I'd like to welcome our new head of Campus Safety. Please welcome Mr. Donovan Hayes!"

You were staring in shock, watching as your (not) father walked onto the stage. He gave a short speech about helping to improve safety around the campus and protect the students.

"What the hell was that?!" You demanded afterward, glaring at him. "You were supposed to go home!"

"I couldn't just leave you alone, who knows what kinds of trouble you'd get into. Don't think I didn't see you earlier when you were plotting with that roommate of yours."

"We were talking about lighting!" You defended. "How did you even get a job here?! I thought the old campus safety director was some guy who'd been here for 20 years or something."

"Oh, I convinced him to retire."

"How-? Never mind, actually. I don't want to know. Just stay out of my business."

"Is your business safe?"

"I swear-!"

---------------

"You sure you have everything? Let me know what you need and I'll have one of my men deliver it for you." Artemis said, her face stone cold. You knew it was just a mask to hide how devastated she was.

"I think maybe a rug for that weird gap-?"

"Done! Actually, my men have been quite busy lately. I'll just bring it to you myself." Artemis said, which made you groan.

"Your secretary is going to absolutely despise you." You said, rolling your eyes. "Do you ever actually do your job?"

"Secretary...? Oh, yes... Her. I'm sure she'll be fine taking it on for just one more day." She said dismissively. You knew that she wasn't actually a secretary, but Artemis had a firm 'my shady side job is not for you to know about' rule so you just called her that.

"You'd better give her a nice vacation when the holidays come up. She deserves it." You sighed. You looked down when your phone pinged. "Oh, my roommate says that her mom wants to invite you out to go drinking at some point."

"Lucille, was it? That sounds lovely. I'll head back to the car and get her number before I leave. I'll see you tomorrow with the rug, love."

"Bye, momma."

---------------

"So, Gaston is right down the hall from you, okay? Room 216. Adela is your RA, and her room is 204, right next to yours." Adrianna reviewed. Ash was sulking from where he sat in your desk chair, now the last one to enter college.

"And your mother and I are just across campus in the President's House, alright? If you need absolutely anything, just come and knock." Fergus added, looking around your tiny single dorm room.

"If you can't sleep tonight, go get Adela or Gaston. Or just come to us, and you can sleep in your old room." Adrianna added. "Oh, honey, we're so proud of you."

"Didn't you guys rig it so I had to be accepted here?" You asked from where you lay on your bed.

"That isn't important! As the principal of this college, I think my child should automatically be guaranteed entry." Fergus said, silencing you with a sharp look. "Either way, you still worked very hard. Trust me, this college is way better than the other one you were looking at. I've worked with the principal there, and he's a bit of a psycho."

"Isn't his child also a freshman here? I saw them walking around campus earlier." Ash added.

"Oh dear, poor kid."

---------------

"I should cut you off for this." Lucas huffed, arms crossed as he glared at you. "This place, really?! I run a college, you could've gone there!"

"Y/N will be fine here. If you actually established a partnership with this school, maybe they'd let students take classes at both schools." Pierre sighed, giving you an apologetic look as you lugged up yet another suitcase full of clothes.

"I am fine. I chose this place for a reason, to get away from your overbearing nature." The suitcase was plopped down with little ceremony as you groaned, wiping sweat from your forehead. "You could at least help."

"Help isn't for traitors." Lucas hissed, glaring at the ground.

"I could probably-"

"No!" Both of you cut Pierre off, leading to a glaring standoff, and Pierre just sighed.

"Y/N, I do hope you have a good time here. I'm sure you'll make wonderful friends."

"I will establish a partnership with this horrible school just so you have to check in with me weekly." Your jaw dropped when Lucas said that.

"What?! You're joking!" Thus started an epic argument between the two of you. Lucas taunting you, and you getting more aggravated.

"I do hope you'll take my Literature class, Y/N. I'm sure you'll love it."

"Shut up, Pierre!" Lucas yelled.

[acosmicbee]

Just got dropped off at my college campus and I can't stop crying. Possible fluffy oneshot tonight if I can pull myself together enough to write something around the orientation events. Hope all of you are doing okay ❤️

[acosmicbee]

Just wanted to say, love your platonic yanderes and your writing style is amazing! I can't put it into words, but it's like cotton candy, fluffy and sweet and nice and can't get enough, even the more angst type parts are great!

Thank you so much! I'm glad my writing is able to bring people comfort, even if it's in a kind of strange way. I write the stories I do for that exact reason as well as the fact that I felt there were way too few platonic yandere writers out there. Glad you're enjoying the content!

[acosmicbee]

In Spirited Away AU, are our OG family still alive or 😬. If so, would father ever allow us to learn magic and stuff. Mayhaps we turn them back?

They are still alive, just... pigs? There is no way they'd willingly teach you how to turn your parents back because, in their eyes, you should've forgotten about them by now. Your human life is far behind you. By the time you know enough magic to figure out how to turn them back yourself, you're already long past the point of being trapped in the spirit world. So you could turn them back eventually, but you'd never be able to leave with them.

[acosmicbee]

Sorry for spam liking your stuff, I just genuinely love your work/pos

It honestly makes me so happy when I can tell someone's discovered my blog for the first time! It's also fun to see what story they start with and then which, of my other works, they like the best!

[acosmicbee]

Do you think we can find a way to buy our contract from Andre? Cause if MC is performing at shows, surely they get a cut of the money.

Yeah, he's taking all of it. If you complain he just lists how much he spends on your food, board and dance lessons not to mention how much it was to buy your contract in the first place. Unfortunately, he's easily keeping you broke without him there to help you.

[acosmicbee]

Lucy, Annie, and Artemis would all get along GREAT

I was actually thinking about that when I was writing! They totally have a book club where they drink fancy teas and talk about their children. Roxanne would also join if her story took place in a more modern era.

My girlies would honestly get along amazingly with each other. The men, on the other hand...

[acosmicbee]

Since that post was based off spirited away, do you think Father has a brother/sister? If so, perhaps they can help us like in the movie 🫢

Father has many siblings, all spread out throughout the world. The problem is, they're also dragons, many of whom also like to hoard cute children.

Y/N is more likely to end up temporarily kidnapped by a new aunt/uncle than helped back home, and even then, you would be a kid all alone whose parents are still stuck on the spirit realm side.

(There are one or two of his siblings who would help you get free but you'll likely never learn about them)

[acosmicbee]

Ahh, I loved “The Invitation” so much! Lucy seems so lovely☺️.

I was wondering what the twins are like, and how much older they are compared to reader?

The twins are high school aged, around 16, while Y/N is probably around 6 or 7, so there's a bit of an age gap.

They're the definition of chaos gremlins, mostly because when I was coming up with them all, all I could think about was one of my favorite shows/movies as a kid, which had two main characters who shared their names. (Bonus points if anyone can figure out what show it is! As a reminder, their names are Benny and Ethan.)

In my initial planning, I had a scene in mind where Lucy arrives home with Y/N, and there's flour and cake batter everywhere because the twins tried to bake the 'welcome home' cake themselves. They're also thoroughly covered in it as they blame each other for the kitchen being a complete disaster. So, yeah! Chaos incarnate, but dearly loved.

[acosmicbee]

The Invitation

(Inspired by the Twilight Zone episode 'Children's Zoo'. Really cool episode, I'd recommend you check it out!)

The invitation sat heavily in your hands. It was written on thick card stock, the high-quality kind used only for fancy prints and the most special of letters. If you accepted, it would change your life.

You were tired of the never-ending arguing that filled the small apartment, the smell of cigarette smoke, and the always-empty pantries. You just wanted someone who would pay attention to you for once, someone who would love you unconditionally.

You ran your fingers over the letter again, contemplating the words. You knew what it entailed, you knew what would happen. Your friend Stacy had pressed the letter into your hands before she stopped coming to school. Her parents had decided to homeschool her instead, wanting to spend more time around her.

So you pulled on your finest outfit. The only pair of jeans you owned that weren't covered in holes, a cream colored shirt that was only a little stained, and a black windbreaker that was too big for you.

Your parents didn't pay you any mind as you slipped on your ratty sneakers, your only pair of shoes. They were too busy yelling about who was where last night to notice when you grabbed your backpack, despite it being a Saturday, as you left.

You found your own way, carefully crossing streets and taking a few buses using your bus pass from school. It was a long journey in the eyes of a child, and you were constantly checking the letter to make sure you'd read it right.

The directions you'd gotten from the library, carefully writing down as best you could how to get there. Your hands were trembling in a mix of anxiety and anticipation as you got off the last bus and crossed the two streets to get where you needed to go.

The building looked fancy from the outside, with murals of happy families and colorful backgrounds plastering the walls. A doorman held the door for you as you entered, an encouraging smile on his face. One of the ladies at the front desk kneeled down to accept the letter you held out for her.

"I see, dear. And you got this from a friend?" She asked kindly, tucking the letter away. When you nodded, she smiled, stepping out from behind the desk. "Amazing. Let me show you where you'll wait. Do you want me to hold on to your bag for you?"

You nervously handed over your backpack, which she tucked away behind the desk. "What's your name, sweetheart?"

"Y/N..." You mumbled, watching as one of the other receptionists wrote your name on a tag, which they tied onto your backpack. There were only a couple of other bags behind the desk, but you barely had time to look before you were being escorted away.

"Before we get you set up in one of our rooms, we're going to perform a quick health assessment and ask you some questions, okay? These might be kind of scary questions or make you feel uncomfortable, so you don't have to answer if you don't want to." The lady said kindly.

You already knew about this part from what Stacy had told you, so you just followed along behind her. The doctor's room looked kind of like the nurse's office at school, with white walls adorned with child-friendly posters and pictures.

The doctor was nice as she examined you, gently rubbing some cream onto a bruise you had gotten during recess at school. She did ask a bunch of questions about home, but most of them you could answer. At the very end, she let you pick out a lollipop.

"You were such a brave kid, Y/N. I'm sure you'll find exactly who you're looking for. Or, better yet, they'll find you." She said as she escorted you back to the receptionist.

"Thank you, Dr.Liza. I'll go get this one settled, and then we can take our lunch together." The receptionist smiled, gently taking your hand as she led you away. You noticed how the walls became more colorful as she walked, rainbows and animals decorating them.

"Do you want to color or read, Y/N? You can always change your mind later."

"I want to color, please." She led you to a room with a little paintbrush on the doorknob. Inside the room was a small craft table with coloring books and pieces of paper covering it. Gentle music was playing from speakers in the ceiling, and a man was sitting at the table with a smile. Across from the table was a giant mirror that spanned the whole wall.

"Y/N, this is Peter. He will be waiting with you. If you have any questions or need anything, he can help you." She said kindly. You waved goodbye to her as she left the room.

Peter was really nice. He wasn't loud, and he didn't yell at you. Instead, he asked about what you were coloring and even helped you pick out colors. He had just brought you some juice and a sandwich when a gentle chime echoed through the room.

"I'll be right back, Y/N. You just eat your food and keep coloring, okay?" He said, gently rubbing your head as he left again. You knew what happened next. Stacy had told you all about the magic mirror and how they would come after the chime.

True enough, a few minutes later, Peter led a woman into the room. She looked to be in her early 30s, a nervous but excited expression on her face as she sat down in the chair Peter had been using.

"Hi there, honey. My name is Lucille, but I go by Lucy. What's yours?" Her voice was smooth and sweet with the slightest hint of a southern drawl.

"I'm Y/N." Your voice shook a little as your hands clenched the colored pencil you were holding. This could be it, your second chance.

"That's such a pretty name, sweetheart. What are you drawing?" You held up the coloring book you were working on so she could see. She seemed genuinely interested in what you were doing, praising your artwork.

"Miss Lucy, I can help facilitate this next part if you need assistance," Peter gently interjected from where he stood by the door. When she nodded, he stepped forward.

"Y/N, Miss Lucy is interested in adopting you. As such, we will conduct a compatibility survey to make sure you're entering a home that will be just right for you."

The next half hour consisted of a ton of questions. You were asked about everything from your favorite foods and any allergies to your favorite subject in school, and whether you'd be okay with having an older sibling.

"I adopted twin boys from here a few years ago, so you'd have two big brothers. Their names are Ethan and Benny." Lucy said. You didn't mind the sound of that. In the stories you read, big brothers always protected their little siblings.

"I live a couple of hours away from here, so you wouldn't be able to go to your school anymore. I personally prefer homeschool, but if you really want to go to actual school, we could make something work." That was also fine by you, you didn't really like school much.

By the end of all the questions, you were completely exhausted, but you'd made up your mind. When Peter looked to you for your answer, you gave a definitive nod, which was then followed by a yawn.

Lucy looked like she wanted to explode with happiness, but instead settled for gently coaxing you into her lap as she leaned down to whisper in your ear. "Oh, honey, don't you worry. I'll make sure you're all safe and sound at home. The boys said they'd make a cake, just in case. Doesn't that sound perfect?"

You just nodded, falling asleep in her lap as Peter went through the protocols and paperwork with her.

"As I'm sure you're well aware, seeing as you've successfully adopted through us before, we expect full confidentiality. The child is not to be put in any situation where they may be recognized and taken from your care."

"I know. Trust me, this little angel is coming straight home where they're gonna stay." Lucy said, her arms wrapped around you as she held you close. "Poor thing is even smaller than my boys were... I'll stop somewhere on the way home and get them some food."

"I'll give you a copy of the results from their checkup earlier. Remember that in the case of illness, you can take them back here, and one of our doctors will treat them. We're open 24/7, so just give us a call to prepare for you."

"Thank you. This one isn't leaving my sight for a long time." She said, kissing your head as she finished with the last document. "That's all the paperwork done, can we go?"

"Of course. I do believe that they brought a bag with them, so just stop by the receptionist on the way out to pick it up. They should also have the printout of the medical records ready for you."

With that, Lucy stood up, humming as she carried you in her arms. After a quick stop at the reception desk to grab your bag and records you were being tucked into the backseat of her car, a pillow nestled between your head and the window.

You'd be so happy at her home, even if she wouldn't let you leave for a while. Not only did she have to wait for all the missing persons posters to die down, but she was a possessive and overprotective mother at heart. Ethan and Benny had only recently proven themselves capable of running errands to the store alone, and they were almost 16.

For now, she wouldn't worry about you growing up. After all, she was more focused on spoiling you and keeping you safe. It was time for you to go home.

[acosmicbee]

Congrats to going to collage, know that the first year will be (intentionally) hard but high school WILL be better. I hope you do well and don't get (too) stressed. Your writing always brightness my day :3

Thank you so much! Writing is what I do for stress relief and I use it as a procrastination tactic so who knows? Maybe I'll be writing more than usual!

[acosmicbee]

I pick you up like cat pick up baby

Honestly? Take me. I'm ready.

Bonus, because we're talking about cats, here's my kitty

His name is Clyde and he cowrites my works by walking on my keyboard while I'm trying to type!

[acosmicbee]

Bee! You HAVE to tell us what color Bill's eyes are, or I'll always have to draw him with his eyes closed!¡!¡!

...what is actually not that bad, but not that good either

And also this is for you, lovely lady🌹🌹🌹

Aww, thanks! Bill's eyes are definitely hazel, which, if you've seen hazel eyes, can shift between different colors in the iris. His are kinda a mix of dark brown with a hint of green!

Also, if you do draw Bill, I'd love to see it! Take a sunflower for good luck! 🌻

[acosmicbee]

Okay, so Tumblr glitched or something and emptied my ask box. I did have a couple asks saved as drafts/screenshotted so I could work on my phone but I lost mostly everything.

WITH THAT SAID I'm going away to college in a week and a half so I'm probably gonna be kinda MIA for a bit. This is my first time living away from home for an extended period of time and I need to get used to college classes! BECAUSE OF THIS requests are still closed for now! Once I settle into college more, I'll probably allow them again! REGULAR ASKS ARE FINE AS ALWAYS! I CANNOT EXPLAIN HOW HAPPY IT MAKES ME TO RECEIVE ASKS! On top of that, I'm still taking fairytale suggestions, even if I can't work on them right now, just to see what people like. Two of the saved asks I have are for Bluebeard and The Snow Queen but I'm open to more suggestions.

Sorry for the inconvenience but I promise I'll try and go back to taking requests as soon as life and my mental health will allow. For now, feel free to flood me with asks about literally anything!

[acosmicbee]

Milo feels like such a werewolf, even in his normal world. He is such a werewolf to me.

Milo really does just give constant werewolf vibes. He'd be so cuddly to reader in wolf form, though. That's literally his baby and he will maul anyone stupid enough to get close.

[acosmicbee]

https://www.tumblr.com/acosmicbee/791541694255546368/i-love-the-idea-readers-spirit-form-is-a-cat?source=share Thinking about this ask and if reader is a cat i think it would be funny if they were like a larger cat, like snow leopard, and but they stay on the cub form for the longest time KEKW -🐦‍⬛

Have you seen how big Maine Coons can get? Reader who's actually a massive cat, but for right now is stuck as a tiny, very angry and irritable furball. All tiny teeth and claws. Then one day poof! There's now a giant cat just lounging around different areas of the bath house looking ready to attack any disturbance.

Maine Coon reader who just starts slamming into the back of people's legs to send them sprawling to the floor when they're particularly annoyed. When Aspen tries to annoy them in fox form they just flop on top of him, effectively trapping him until he learns his lesson.

Gotta admit, I love kitty cat reader just being a menace to society.

[acosmicbee]

Glass House

Sorry for the reupload! Was having a weird issue with the tags I didn't notice last night so hopefully it's fixed now!

Inspired by Cinderella!

TWS: Forced feeding, Y/N gets drugged

“You are my sunshine. My only sunshine. You make me happy when skies are gray. You’ll never know, dear, how much I love you. Please don't take my sunshine away.”

Once upon a time, the melody soothed all your troubles. Anytime you heard your mother start to sing, you’d eagerly cuddle close, listening to her voice. She could’ve been a singer, the best in all the lands if she weren’t a lady. You told her as much, endlessly begging throughout your younger years for just one more lullaby before bed.

Now? Now, all you could do was reflect. Reflect on how your world had shattered into fragments so small you’d never piece it back together. Reflect on how love had changed into something darker, more possessive. Reflect on how your mother, the person you had valued above all else, was a wolf all along, hiding behind a fake woolly sheep mask. And you? You were just some little lamb who had blindly let themself be led.

· · ─ ·✶· ─ · ·

Your mother wasn’t like the other ladies. Among high society, she was the odd duck, the black sheep, the eternal misfit. All because she refused to hire a nanny. Apparently, she’d been this way since her pregnancy with you, her beloved child. She’d refused a wet nurse as well, when you’d been that young, taking the time to feed you herself.

For all her faults, in society’s eyes, she was a beautiful woman. At least, that’s what everyone said. You wholeheartedly agreed, your mother was the most beautiful woman ever! Not even the queen was more beautiful, even if your mother had told you not to say that. At the time, you didn’t understand what ‘treason’ was, just that comparing your mother to the queen was a no-no.

She had beautiful, long brown curls, just starting to turn grey. Her eyes were the most wonderful shade of brown, like deep, rich chocolate! Her voice was magical, and she sang to you every night before bed. She was the best momma ever, and you were so proud she was all yours!

Until one day, she wasn’t. Grace and Anna had appeared out of nowhere, in your opinion. They were older than you by a touch, and both treated you like a nuisance. Your father had sat you down the day they arrived and said that they would be your big sisters now, that you would have to share your momma with them. You were so upset, asking why they couldn’t get a momma of their own.

Your momma was also upset. You’d heard her yelling at your father a lot. Still, she’d picked you up and whisked you away to her bedroom to cuddle while you cried. You were just 4, you didn’t understand the complexities of adult relationships. That Grace and Anna were your half-sisters, and that your father had cheated on your momma.

For now, you just cried. You weren’t used to sharing, especially not something as precious to you as your momma. You begged her not to leave you, not to forget about you. She had held you close, whispering how you were her beloved child forever and ever, how she could never love anyone more than you.

“Not even father…?” You’d asked, teary-eyed with snot running down her face. Looking back on it, you realized how her face had gone cold, her eyes glinting with a sort of hatred you’d never seen before. As a child, you’d just thought she was still upset at him from their earlier fight as she quickly schooled her emotions.

“Not him, not anyone. You’re my precious, my child. No one will ever take your place.” She’d promised, holding you close. She didn’t seem to care as you wiped your dirty face on her beautiful dress, still sniffling and gently hiccuping. Instead, she’d started to sing to you, holding you close as she murmured familiar lyrics.

You’d fallen asleep that day in her arms, curled against her chest. Back then, your mother had been your shield against the uncomfortable, the person you ran to whenever you were scared. She’d been your best friend, your closest confidante. But as you grew, you learned and you observed, and things started to change.

· · ─ ·✶· ─ · ·

“Momma! Momma, he’s-!” You were curled into her skirt, crying inconsolably as you watched your father’s coffin be lowered into the ground. Your mother held you against her, watching you with a pained expression as her grip on your shoulders tightened.

It was raining, pouring, as your world shattered for the first time. Of course, you knew he’d been sick for a while and slowly getting worse, but somewhere you convinced yourself that he’d get better. He just needed more time, more care, more love. You’d begged every doctor who came to see him to make him better again, and they’d failed.

Grace and Anna were somewhere off to your side, huddled under an umbrella together as they cried. Distantly, you wondered why your mother wasn’t also comforting them, but brushed it off. Since they’d come, she always told you that you needed the most care because you were the youngest. 

At this moment, you couldn’t bring yourself to care. You needed your momma, needed her gentle touch and soothing voice. Distantly, you realized Grace and Anna likely needed someone to love them too, but you were a child. A child who desperately needed to be selfish at this moment, as you hid in your momma’s skirt.

Your momma was quiet. Quiet throughout the service, silent throughout the reception after, stoic the whole carriage ride home. Home… the concept felt so foreign without your father there. Even if he was never around, even if he had brought home Grace and Anna, he was still your father. And now he was gone. 

Already at the reception, you’d heard whispers about your momma needing to remarry. She had three kids to support, after all. Clearly, she’d need to take a new husband once the customary mourning period had expired. It would just be shameful if she didn’t. 

She was generally respected, outside of her decision to raise you herself, so men were already clamoring for her hand. One brave man had even approached her at the reception while you were sobbing in her lap, asking about her plans after the mourning period and discussing how profitable his recent exploits had been. Her glare was as cold as ice as she turned him away, quickly going back to attending to you.

“I have no need for another man in my life.” She told you later, her fingers brushing gently through your hair as she helped wash the tears off your face. “All I need is you.”

“And Anna and Grace?” You’d asked, ignorant of the disgust that flickered in her eyes as she smiled placatingly.

“Sure. I guess them too.” She had mumbled before quickly changing the subject away from your dead father and half sisters. 

· · ─ ·✶· ─ · ·

The first thing you’d learned about your stepdad was that he was a merchant. Maybe that was why your mother had chosen him out of all her suitors because he was always away. When he was around, he was nice enough, even to your half sisters who’d quickly grown bitter at the lack of attention.

He also had a daughter of his own. A girl, a few years younger than you, named Ella. Grace and Anna hated her, but you? You adored her like you would a sister. You played with her whenever you could, doing whatever she wanted to do. It got her, as much as she could be, into your mother’s good graces, as she often watched over the two of you.

She still obviously had a favorite, but Ella didn’t seem to care. After all, she had her father’s love and care and a mother whose loss was still recent. She didn’t need a new mother but was happy to accept her father moving on as well as she could.

Your mother would stand up for her when Grace and Anna’s teasing crossed the line between playful and spiteful, cooly asking if they were acting like ladies. Unfortunately, they only saw it as a way to guarantee attention and began to do it more, their words getting crueler and crueler each time. You stood up for Ella when you could, telling them to knock it off and that they weren’t funny.

Ella’s father always seemed busy, even as years passed, managing his ships and sailing around. He was barely home, but you’d grown to see him as a second father to you. He would bring you little gifts whenever he could visit, ships in bottles and little bits of foreign cultures. Life was peaceful, or as peaceful as it could be with Grace and Anna being spiteful and bitter 24/7.

Your mother had started looking into advantageous matches for them, possibly the son of some marquis or a lord. You had caught her poring over courtship offers a couple of times, but had never seen any offers for your hand. You never said it out loud, but it had begun to make you a little insecure-- were you not good enough for courtship? Should you be more like Anna and Grace, even if they were a little horrible?

Ella just told you that you were thinking too loud and you needed to shut your brain up before dragging you outside to play in the rain. You had fun, even if your mother was furious when she caught sight of both of you, soaking wet and splashing around in puddles. She wrapped you up in her bed after she’d forced you into the bath, holding you close as she gently scolded you.

“You could get sick, Y/N. You could’ve slipped and fallen!” She said, an edge of anxious worry in her tone as she made sure you were fully tucked in.

“We were just in the garden. And nothing happened, see? I’m fine, promise.” You said back, knowing full well it would just send her into another lecture about possibilities. When you finally did doze off, it was after she’d stopped lecturing, humming a familiar tune as she stroked your back. 

It was hard to match this woman, a woman you loved so dearly who sang you to sleep, with the side of her you’d soon see. 

· · ─ ·✶· ─ · ·

“Prince Edward formally requests all noble citizens over the age of 15 to attend a masquerade ball held at the royal palace in two months. At this ball, the prince will formally choose his partner from those attending. Any person unable to attend must submit a written affidavit as to why to the palace at least a week in advance. Inexcused absences will be investigated after the masquerade has concluded. Please note that masks are required for entry. The theme of the ball is ‘Enchanted Night.” The messenger announced at the door. 

“A masquerade!” Anna yelled, happily jumping around. “And of course, the Prince will choose me to be queen!”

“As if! You can barely dress yourself in the mornings, much less rule a kingdom! He will choose me to be queen!” Grace interjected, causing the two of them to start arguing.

“Mama, I don’t think I have a proper outfit I can wear. I’ve never been to a ball before, I’m so excited!” You said, not noticing the way your mother’s smile had tightened around the edges and her eyes had gone dark.

“I think my mother left me a dress that could work… But it’d be awfully out of season by now, and I don’t think it has a matching mask.” Ella agreed. “Do you really think the prince will choose someone?”

“I sure hope so! Even if it isn’t me, it still sounds so exciting to get to see that up close.” You said, smiling as Ella dragged you away to try and find her mother’s dress.

· · ─ ·✶· ─ · ·

You could hardly move, hardly think. Your body was ravaged by a particularly high fever, and you could barely hold down water. Your whole body ached in a way that made every twitch agony. All you could think of, as you lay there, was watching your father lie in his bed, every day getting worse before the sickness took him. You weren’t ready for it to take you to.

“I’m so sorry you can’t go to the ball,” Ella said, sitting at your bedside. She was wearing her mother’s dress. A beautiful silver ball gown with pearls skillfully embroidered along the bodice and in the tulle of the skirt. She looked like a moon goddess, delicate white gloves holding a matching mask as she watched over you.

“You look beautiful…” You murmured, reaching out a clammy hand. Her skin was cool compared to yours, soft too. “Don’t forget about me when the prince makes you his queen, okay?”

“Now is hardly the time to joke!” She hissed, pulling off a glove to change the cooling cloth on your forehead. “I doubt he’ll even look at me, much less choose me to dance with or become his queen! I’ll be right back here at your side before you know it.”

“Ella, the carriage is here.” Your mother said entering the room. “Why don’t you go on ahead? I’ll make sure Y/N will be watched carefully by the maids the whole time we’re gone.”

“I’ll be back before you know I’m gone.” She swore, giving your hand one final squeeze before leaving the room. You let your face fall the second you and your mother was alone.

“I’m scared…” You admitted quietly, a hint of tears creeping into your voice. “What if I end up like dad-?”

“You are nothing like your father.” She said firmly. “You will not meet his fate, Y/N. This sickness will not kill you.”

“How do you know? I don’t wanna die, momma…” You said, a tear rolling down your cheek.

“Shh, sweetheart. Call it a mother’s intuition. I know you’ll be okay, Y/N. I promise the second I get back from the ball, I’ll be right back at your side.” She smiled at you, brushing some hair off your clammy forehead. You were already in a feverish daze, half-asleep as she leaned over to wind the music box on your nightstand. Familiar notes began to dance through the air, lulling you enough for her to slip out, heading for the carriage. Everything was going according to plan.

· · ─ ·✶· ─ · ·

“I told you that he’d pick you.” You said, grinning at Ella from your half-reclined position in bed. 

“How many times have you already said that this week? 100? 1000?” She asked, giggling as she held your hand. You’d recovered a little from that first horrible day, but nowhere near enough to get out of bed. Ella had spent the last week gushing about the prince and slowly moving out. He seemed like a genuinely nice guy, not that you’d met him.

“1000 is a bit high. Probably more like… 999.” You added on, pouting and gently batting her hand away when she reached for your forehead. “Hey. This is about you right now. I’m fine.”

“I did talk to him when I heard he was sending out the investigators to talk to anyone unable to attend. He said you weren’t on the list, so I guess your mother must’ve talked to him at some point.” She mentioned off-handedly, only to startle when she heard the clop of hooves outside. “Is that my carriage? I didn’t think it was that late yet! I’ll be back later, Y/N!” She said, hurriedly rushing from the room. She always seemed to be in such a rush these days.

Something about what she’d said made you pause, though. If you remembered the messenger’s warning correctly, any excused absences were due a week before the ball, but you’d only gotten sick the day of. Your name should’ve been on the list to be investigated, even if your mother had tried to talk to them.

It left a bad taste in your mouth to think about. It’s not like your mother could control when you got sick. Then again… the tea she’d served you the night before the ball had been super bitter, even when you mixed in more than a healthy amount of honey. And she’d been bringing all your meals since.

But were you really about to suspect your mother of what, poisoning you? Then again, you remembered the fact that your mother had personally brought your father all his meals once he’d gotten sick. And his symptoms matched yours, although his were a lot more severe. She wasn’t trying to kill you; you didn’t think, if you were accepting the ridiculous idea that she was behind this at all. But what was her end goal?

“Sweetheart, I brought you some lunch.” Speak of the devil. Your mother placed the tray down on the bedside table, sitting beside you. The food was simple, as it had been since you’d gotten sick. Some thick cauliflower soup, a cup of tea, and a tiny dish of strawberry sorbet.

“Momma, I’m feeling really achey again. Didn’t Dad feel the same way when he was sick? I’m just really worried. The doctors couldn’t figure out what was wrong with him, how will they figure out what’s wrong with me…?” You asked, even though a part of you flared with guilt at suspecting your mother. Still, you had to know what was wrong with you, and right now, she was your only suspect.

“I thought I already told you that you’ll be fine, Y/N. You know I don’t like talking about your father. Please just eat your lunch.” She said, her tone going cold. Normally, you’d drop it, but right now, you knew you needed to push her if you wanted the truth.

“I’m not hungry. My stomach hurts and I don’t have an appetite.”

“Your stomach only hurts because you slept through breakfast. You don’t have an appetite because the sickness is tricking your brain. Eat your lunch, Y/N I don’t want to have to ask you again.” She said, her voice growing cooler than you’d ever heard it when directed at you. She didn’t even use a nickname. But were you getting somewhere or digging your own grave?

“Why am I sick, Momma? Why does the food make me sick?” You eventually asked, point-blank. You could see the moment her face fell into its perfectly crafted mask of nobility. Carefully blank, giving nothing away.

“The fever is making you delusional. The food isn’t doing anything to you.” She said, rising from the chair at your bedside. Instead, she sat right next to you, grabbing your chin as she forced you to look at her, her other hand picking up the spoon for your soup. “I don’t want to have to force you, Y/N, but I will. Eat your food, or I’ll make you.”

“Why are you hurting me? Don’t you love me?!” You cried, trying to pull away. You’d never seen her like this before, so cold and calculating. Where was your momma? Was this really her? Your words seemed to remove the mask, shattering it fully. Not just her noble persona, but the mother you’d known who’d hidden her full possessiveness. Now it was out in the open, and she didn’t need to hide anymore.

“Of course, I love you. That’s why I have to do this, Y/N. You don’t know what’s right for you. You think just because I’m letting Grace and Anna get married off that you’re worth less. There are no proposals for you because I burn any that are delivered! Don’t you understand, Y/N?! You’re far too precious for me to send off! No. No, you deserve the best, and that means staying here with me.”

“Let me go!” You yelled, fighting against her grip. You’d never realized how strong she was as she easily held you in place, shoving a spoonful of soup into your mouth.

“Sit still or you might choke, Y/N. The soup is only going to help you. It’ll make sure you stay where it’s safe, here with me.” She hissed, shoving another spoonful in the next time you tried to scream. Spoonful after spoonful, you were forced to choke down your struggles growing weaker as whatever she was drugging you with sapped the strength from your body. It wasn’t like you had much energy to begin with, being drugged for over a week.

You could only watch helplessly as she took a bottle from her pocket, pouring some liquid into your tea. “Shh, stop fussing. Just drink it all up, and then you can have your sorbet. Don’t worry, I’ll take care of you the whole time. But until you understand, I’m going to need you unable to spread your dangerous delusions to others. What if they got the wrong idea?”

You lacked the energy to sob; instead, broken whimpers and silent tears spilled from you like a breaking dam. Her coos and soothing hand running through your hair did nothing to help console you as you were forced to drink down the tea. The sweet sorbet that followed did nothing to cut through the bitter and acrid aftertaste left in your mouth.

When she was done feeding you, she pulled you close, cuddling you just like she did when you were younger. She looked down at you so fondly, no trace of the monster in her eyes as she began to sing.

“You are my sunshine. My only sunshine. You make me happy when skies are gray. You’ll never know, dear, how much I love you. Please don't take my sunshine away.”