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travlersjoy444 · 2 years

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Back To the Future (Part 10)

TOH Hunter/Golden Guard x reader

Masks and Bets part ten.

Masks and Bets (Part 1)

Masks and Beasts (Part 2)

Masked and Beat (Part 3)

Masked (and Unmasked) On the Seas (Part 4)

Cracks in a Mask (Part 5)

Revelations (Part 6)

Bad Moon Rising (Part 7)

Hey Lilith (Part 8)

Way Home (Part 9)

*******

“Move.” The Golden Guard commanded.

The scout gave a single nod, stepping away from her post.

“...Thanks. And don’t tell anyone I was here, or else.” He said, swinging open the door she had been guarding.

He entered the room with his head low, making sure to lock the door behind him.

The room looked about the same, but the air was heavier. The scent of dust filled the silence, which (Y/N) would have never normally permitted…

But (Y/N) wasn’t here anymore.

Hunter sat on the empty bed, staring out the window into the nothingness that surrounded the castle.

“You promised me you’d stay.” He whispered, trying to ignore the water blurring his vision. “You said I wouldn’t lose you…”

He wiped his eyes, trying not to think. “But then…you probably lied, didn’t you? Belos always said you were a bad influence.”

Belos had been right. He was always right. And as he was seeing once again, Belos was the only person who loved him. The only person who cared at all for Hunter the Golden Guard.

Hunter stood up, looking at (Y/N)’s remaining room decor- when he had first checked, there had been a letter on (Y/N)’s dresser- one addressed to him. He had, of course, torn it up and flushed it down the toilet, but a silly part of him wished he had at least read it first. Found out what (Y/N) had wanted to say before the witch abandoned him.

No. It was dangerous to think that way, silly to think that way.

Maybe there was a possibility that (Y/N) had loved him the way he loved (Y/N), but entertaining the idea was…well, silly. After all, (Y/N) had been gone for a month now.

But on days like these…it was nice too just…sit here. Thinking about impossible things….like how it was just a bit possible, despite all of Belos’s claims, for (Y/N) to still like him. For (Y/N) to still care about him. For (Y/N) to be spying on the rebels instead of joining them.

But as much as Hunter wished that could be true, Cinder told it all- (Y/N) had spoken of hatred for Belos’s system under the guise of Cinder, and so by extension, was it so hard to believe that (Y/N) hated the Golden Guard too? …That (Y/N) hated Hunter too?

No. It made sense, actually.

Hunter swallowed dryly.

Once again, he found himself alone.

*******

“It is so nice to be surrounded by all of Lulu's dearest friends!” Announced the Owl-Tube, stirring his drink.

“Yeah! All hail Lulu!” Steve cheered.

I clapped vigorously, pumping my arms with Steve.

“We're here to celebrate the new assistant curator of the Supernatural Museum of History.” Said Hooty, looking around the room at the party. He lifted his wine cup, grinning. “Here's to you, Lulu!”

“Cheers!” I beamed, grinning as my mentor smiled awkwardly.

“Hooty! Did I miss the toast?” Luz exclaimed, running into the living room.

“Yes, but not the ‘app-pellet-tizers’.” Hooty said, grinning. I grimaced and looked away, refocusing on the rest of the party.

There was a loud sigh. “Oh, I wish I could stay longer, but I must be off on my next adventure. It's such a delight to see my little bookworm back in the historical world after all these years.”

Lilith gave another awkward smile. “Uh, thank you, Flora, but it's just a small job. Only an assistant. I'm surprised you even heard about this.”

Flora shrugged. “The Emperor wanted to make sure you weren't getting into any trouble. And to clear out your office. I left a box of your knick-knacks inside. Wish you took more from my tutelage, dear. History's supposed to be exciting after all!”

She cracked a whip, catching a flying griffin and dragged it down to the ground. Then she hopped onto the griffin without another word.

“Show off.” I muttered jealously. I wanted to be that badass.

Luz came up next to Lilith and I, raising an eyebrow. “Who was that?”

Lilith sighed. “Flora D'splora. Bad-girl historian, celebrity, and my former mentor in the Emperor's Coven.”

I scowled. “She annoys me. I’m not sure if I want to curse her or be her.”

Luz snoted. “I have questions about that name.”

“And I have questions about MY LIFE! All I ever got to do was desk work, while she goofed off riding wild snake horses and-”

Luz gasped, interrupting Lilith. “Snorses!”

“-And, and eating mummy jerky! Well, I can be just as exciting as Flora. I'll come up with an exhibit that'll knock the Titan's socks off!” Lilith snapped, storming back into the house.

“Congratulations on your new job!” Luz said, waving.

“And I’ll-” I began, half-aware of the glint in my eyes, “-I’ll learn how to use a whip.”

*******

I sat in the kitchen trying to make homemade caramel while Lilith worked on her model balusters.

“Lilith!” Luz exclaimed, throwing the door open. I jumped, accidentally burning myself with the hot sugar.

“...Thorns.” I grimaced, doing a quick healing spell

“-Sorry-” Luz blushed.

“As punishment, you have to taste test this, human.” I spat overdramatically.

Luz grinned. “Ohh nooo.” She said happily, before turning her attention back to my mom- er, my mentor. Back to my mentor. “I see you're dealing with all this, then, Lilith?”

Lilith shrugged. “I'm plotting out my first exhibit for the museum. It's almost as if the Emperor wanted Flora to tick me off. Well, I'll show her that she's not the only bad-girl historian in town. I'm thinking…”

She whipped out her plan board, which she had explained to me in excruciating detail just an hour ago.

“ ‘The Architecture History behind Deadwardian Balusters’.”

Luz looked up, smiling awkwardly, and Lulu’s excitement faded.

“This won't work, will it.” She sighed dejectedly.

“No, it could work still! I have faith in you, Lulu!” I argued.

Luz nodded. “Don't let Flora get you down! I even started calling you "Cool Aunt Lilith" in my journal.”

Lilith blushed. “Uh, oh, really?”

Luz grinned, flipping through the pages in a book she had brought. “You can be a bad-girl historian. And I know how.”

I leaned over her shoulder, skimming through the page. “...Time magic?”

*******

I stepped onto the beach, looking around. “Hate to say it, Lulu, but uh…I’m not actually seeing any time pools.”

Her face fell as she followed me onto the sand. “But... I triple-checked all my calculations. My equipment is first-rate! Ugh-” She tripped. “Stupid rock.”

“Maybe the Titan Blood was too dry?” I suggested.

“Is it even algae-blooming season?” Lilith added, trying to troubleshoot. “Was it my tools？ Are they broken?” She took off her glasses, staring at her reflection in the lenses. “Am...I broken?”

“No, of course not.” I said firmly.

“Lilith! You did it!” Said Luz, running across the beach and holding a fossil. “You found the time pools!”

Lilith whipped back to her reflection in the glasses, grinning. “In your face!”

The two ran back down the beach towards the time pools.

“Hey guys?” I called from my side. “I’ll stay back here and keep watch, okay?”

“Thanks (Y/N)!” Lilith beamed as she leaned into the time pool.

*******

I did not, in fact, have any intention of waiting behind and ‘keeping watch’- I had a plan in mind.

As soon as Luz and Lilith had vanished into the Deadwardian era, I approached the time pools on my own- this could be my chance to find answers. The past few weeks had only brought more questions, from my own past to my…biological family, though I used the term lightly. The Bryonys were…not exactly family, but more like clones? But uh…just calling them family is easier.

“So that would be…about thirty years ago.” I muttered aloud, and with a deep breath, I leaned into the sand.

When I opened my eyes again, I was still in the sand…but it was different. The air was cooler and the water was further, and there was a blonde man sitting on a rock nearby.

“Hello sir,” I said, clamoring out of the sand, “Could you please tell me what year it is? I promise, this is for science.”

He stared at me, and I recognized his face.

“...Hunter?” I gasped.

“(Y/N)?!” Said the man, who I now realized was a teenager. “What the titan are you doing in the sand?!”

“...Science.” I answered slowly. In all likelihood, this boy isn’t my Hunter. He’s just another grimwalker. “Now ah…tell me again, what year is it?”

He shrugged. “1945.”

Hmm. I’d overshot by about forty years.

“Thanks Hunter.” I said, sighing. “Oh, and…you might wanna watch your back around Belos in the near future if you want to survive. Bye!”

I reemerged back in my time, slightly nervous about the bloody fly effect- but I’d rather screw with the timeline a little bit then let Belos kill another grimwalker.

I sighed, trying not to think about him. I’d left him there, in the castle, all alone….

I swallowed. Worry about that later, (Y/N). Worry about it later.

Moving on, I stepped into the next time pool.

This time, I found myself looking out at a Bonesborough that looked exactly the same.

Hmm.

“Hey crab demon, look out!” Said an oddly voice.

I ducked back into the sand, looking up to see a large rock hurtling over me. It landed a few feet away, and once I was sure the danger had passed, I climbed out of the sand.

The owner of the voice approached me. “Aw, you’re not a crab demon, you’re just a witch.” He said disappointedly.

“Sorry.” I shrugged, realizing where I knew his voice from as I studied his face. He had short-cropped mop of (H/C) hair, (E/C) eyes, and a very familiar smirk.

I saw it in the mirror every morning.

“What’s your name?” I said, trying to hide my excitement.

“Nico. And yours, crab-witch?”

“...Cinder.” I answered, grinning at the boy who looked like he could have been my brother. “I’m headed to Bonesborough, via…sand tunnels. This is the closest stop.” I lied.

“Sand-tunnels? I didn’t know there was such a thing as sand tunnels as a means of transportation…” he said, raising a dark eyebrow.

“Yeah, well, you don’t know everything brainiac.” I said dismissively . “Now ah…speaking of brainiacs- would you happen to know one ‘Lilith Clawthorne’?”

“...Er…yeah. …Why?” He said, staring at me in confusion.

“I’m her…cousin, Cinder Clawthorne. That’s why I’m headed to Bonesborough- anyways, she’s mentioned a Nico in her letters, one who matches your physical description.”

Nico’s eyes narrowed. “You’re lying.”

“Of course I’m not lying.” I lied. “However, on the off chance that I was, how could you tell?”

“Wouldn’t you like to know.” A familiar smirk solidified on his face. “But ah…Lulu doesn’t have any cousins, Cinder.”

I faltered, but I was always rather good at improv. “Well ‘cousin’ is a tad easier to say than ‘long-lost-first-cousin-once-removed-to-Dell Clawthorne’, yeah?”

“Oh- I guess…” Said Nico, the smugness in his voice vanishing. “Well, anyways, this is an awful way to get to Bonesborough. We’re pretty far from town, idiot.”

*******

“So…you’re my dad’s cousin? But you’re my age.” Said the young red haired girl in front of me.

“Yeah, uh- time happens.” I said, nodding as though I had shared something incredibly wise.

“Er- what’re you doing in Bonesborough, then?” She said, raising an eyebrow.

“You’re mum invited me to watch your coven initiation.” I lied. “How’s Edalyn doing? I heard about what happened at tryouts…”

Lilith shrugged, not meeting my eyes. “The healers say she’s getting better.”

“Yeah, they say so.” Scoffed Nico, kicking a rock. “That’s a load of rubbish if you ask me- I’ll bet that Emperor’s Coven had something to do with it.”

Lilith fidgeted nervously. “Neeks, there’s no proof of that…”

“Oh, you want proof? I’ll find you some proof-” He said, his eyes glittering manically. “But first, consider the circumstances! The tryouts were you- a smart, kind, fairly mild-mannered young witch- versus Eda, who while incredibly talented, is known for pulling pranks and breaking rules on the regular.”

“Yeah, no thanks to you,” Coughed Lilith.

“Regardless! I’ll bet anything that someone who wanted you- the less chaotic one- to win sabotaged Eda in hopes that she’d be rendered unable to best you!” He declared, turning to me. “And despite that, it was all for naught, ‘cause Edalyn forfeited at the start of the tryouts! But alas, it was too late- the curse had already taken effect.” He shook his head. “I just wonder what kind of messed up twat would curse a little girl.”

Lilith looked away. “Yeah. Probably someone….really terrible.”

I swallowed, my throat dry. “Er…anyways, I arrived a bit early- I’m gonna go drop my stuff off at the hotel, okay?”

“Do you even know how to get there?” Nico said dryly.

“...No.” I mumbled. “I’ll figure it out though-”

“Do you need us to take you there?” He said, his voice flat.

“......Yes, I need you to take me there.” I said, equally flatly.

“Well, luckily, it isn’t too far from Nico’s house- we’re headed in that direction anyways.” Lilith said, waving towards the direction of the hotel.

“Cool! Great.” I nodded, but cringed on the inside. This was not what I planned on. “How about I walk with you guys to Nico’s house, and then go unpack on my own?” I suggested.

“Okay,” Lilith shrugged, already walking.

As Nico and Lilith chatted and teased each other, I looked around the slightly younger version of Bonesborough. It was very similar, but the colors were a tad brighter, and the architecture was obviously dated…

Nico and Lilith. Nico and Lilith.

Fine. Maybe I wasn’t doing a good job of distracting myself….how could I? I knew what happened to these kids, I knew what fates were in store for them- well, I didn’t know Nico’s really, only that he disappeared, but still.

I winced as I remembered how Lilith’s friendship with Nico ended…

*******

“Despite loathing each other at first, I quickly found him to be a valuable ally…and friend.” Lilith swallowed gravely.

“But then I joined the Emperor’s Coven.” She looked away. “…well, as you know…I betrayed Edalyn, my beloved sister in order to join…but then I made another horrible mistake. I…I mentioned a (H/C) boy with (S/C) skin and the middle name ‘Byrne’ to a colleague… It got back to Belos, and soon after that, we were all sent to hunt him down. I refused, but the choice of one new recruit wasn’t going to change the minds of others…” Tears were welling in her eyes now as she continued the story, and I nearly asked her to stop for her own sake. But she pressed on.

“What I wouldn’t give to go back in time to stop them…but Belos caught him. Of course he did, he always does. He caught my friend, and then…well. Nico was…different when I saw him again. Cold. Cruel. He didn’t even remember me!

“After a few years of that, he disappeared, along with his family. He was sent on a mission and just…never came back. Belos was livid.

“For years after that, I wondered…why did Belos care about Nico? But uh…well, I guess we both know the answer to that now.” She whispered, tapping the journal on my bedside table. “But before Nico left, he took something of Belos’s. The Emperor was furious, sending out search party after search party for the stolen child…The child who I have a funny feeling is sitting in front of me right now.”

*******

“Cinder, we’re here!” Said Lilith, bringing me back to the present. (Or rather- the past?)

Nico knocked on the door. It swung open to a tall witch- the witch I had seen in my dream!

Sparrow Bryony.

*******

Taglist:

@vievi

@generousdoodleforillustration

@harlanfalcon

@ronipiamka

@draarnaak

@cloud-9ine

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@hunter-therapy

Author’s note: Ignore the fact that they’re using human years- I don’t know how The Owl House’s time is measured

#x reader #the owl house hunter x reader #the owl house x reader #the owl house #the golden guard #golden guard x reader #toh hunter x reader #hunter toh #toh golden guard #toh golden guard x reader

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dreamypqulson · 2 years

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— one plus two equals us

requested by anon: one where Misty has a daughter. When they go to the coven, Misty and Cordelia obviously fall in love, and then Cordelia becomes her stepmom? And just something about the three being a little family unit and the daughter having to adjust to having two parents?

pairing: cordelia goode x misty day

warning: slight mention of abuse, mention of forced marriage.

word count: 12800

pt.1 | pt.2 | pt.3 | pt.4

Cordelia finally let herself sit down with a sigh. She opened her book, and began reading, feeling an unfamiliar feeling of peace, for once.

This week had been stressful. With silly cat fights from some of the girls, curtains being set on fire, and the warlocks doing no less than to bother her. She finally finished all her paper work, and the girls were out enjoying their Saturday. So she was going to enjoy hers too.

She got through a whole chapter of her book, and then she heard the doorbell ring.

She grunted, figuring it was one of the girls.

She gave them all a key for a reason, and told them to never leave unless they were sure that they had it on them. It was incase there was to be an emergency, and Cordelia wasn't able to open the door for them.

She walked down the stairs, her feet aching from from the high heels she had been wearing all day. And when she opened the door, she was expecting one of the girls to leave a snarky 'took you long enough' comment.

Her eyes were closed, getting ready to compose herself.

But when she heard nothing, she opened them back up, and boy, was she surprised to see two new faces at the door.

A woman, maybe late twenties, early thirties, stood there with a young child on her hip. They were both blonde, and had matching blue eyes. The older woman stood there, and look almost bewildered to see another human before her.

She figured the young girl was around four or five. She had big wild curls like -what Cordelia figured to be- her mother's, and her small thumb rested in her mouth.

"Hey, uh, this is a school for witches, right?" The woman asked. She had a thick Louisiana accent to her voice.

"Yes, Miss Robichaux Academy. It sure is. Are you...looking to apply?" Cordelia questions, curiously. Most of the girls didn't just show up, they would call first. And most of them didn't show up with a little girl by their side.

"Well uh, ya see" the curly haired woman nervously rubbed the back of her neck with her free hand. She noticed, the little girl held on extremely tight to what appeared to be her mother. She look somewhat scared of Cordelia, of another human being. "We've been livin' out at the swamps. It was goin' all fine and dandy until some witch hunter showed up at my door with some big ol' gun. I didn't grab anything, just ma daughter and then I ran."

"Oh my god. Are you okay? Is- is your daughter okay?" They didn't show any signs of injury, but Cordelia still felt the need to check, to worry.

"Nah, we're fine. I'm fine. April over here, is just a lil nervous, but in her defense, she ain't ever really been around another person besides me before, ain't ever witness a gun either" The woman breathed in deeply. "The thing is, I ran into one of ya students once. She told me about this place. How I should consider it. Never really did until now. We ain't got nowhere to go after that witch hunter destroyed our home."

As the young woman walked closer into the house with Cordelia's permission, the young girl hid her face into her mothers chest. April, Cordelia caught it. That was the little girls name.

"You're a witch, right?" Cordelia would've taken them both in anyways. She couldn't just leave them like that.

"We both are."

Cordelia had never come across a witch so young before. She didn't even think it was possible for her powers to develop so early. "How old is your daughter?"

"Three. Boutta be four next month."

"My god, i've never witnessed a witch so young."

"She's a powerful little girl. She got her powers at only two. I noticed it when she started to bring the animals back at the swamp back to life."

"Resurgences is extremely difficult. I'm impressed. And you?" Cordelia asked.

"Is resurgence what ya call it? Well I got the same thing. Started to bring back dead birds when I was younger, then it turned into family members. Oh and I shoulda introduced myself, I'm Misty Day. This is April Day."

"Wow. I'm Cordelia Goode, the supreme here. It's nice to meet you."

They smiled at each other for a moment, and then Cordelia looked at the little girl in Misty's arms and spoke softly, "Hi honey, it's nice to meet you!" Leaning down and smiling at the girl, she noticed that April had started to relax, but still hid half of her face into her mothers chest.

"Nice to meet ya too." The girl said, nothing above a whisper. But, she was smiling, and that's a start. Cordelia giggled at her. "I promise I won't hurt you. You don't have to be afraid of me."

"Mama said not to talk to anyone out of the swamp, or anyone that goes in it."

Misty blushed, hard. Great way to introduce them. Her daughter wasn't stubborn, she was just cautious. She had to be in their living conditions. She was glad that April was aware to not talk to strangers, especially at the young age that she was.

"She ain't one of those bad people, dove. She's gonna keep us safe here. You can talk to her."

April looked up at her mother for consent, and then back at the older woman with a goofy smile "Okay, 'm sorry."

"It's okay, you don't have to apologize" Cordelia then said, giggling at her, and then looking up at her mother "She's precious."

"Awe, well thank ya. What do ya say, darlin?" Misty looked down at her daughter.

"Thank ya" the girl said shyly. From what Cordelia could tell, it was going to take awhile for the girl to adjust to living with other people. Misty knew that too.

"How about I get you two situated? A girl recently moved out of one of the rooms, so we luckily have a free one."

"Sure thing!"

Cordelia showed the two new witches to their room. There was two twin beds, but Misty knew well enough that April would somehow end up in Misty's bed by the morning.

Though, the room was bigger than Misty had ever experienced before. Back at home, they didn't have a lot of money. And at the swamp, the bedroom, living room, and kitchen were all in the same room. It was going to take some time to adjust to this new environment, for both Misty and April.

"My bedroom is the one right beside this one, so if you ever need anything, don't be afraid to knock. Either of you" Cordelia smiled down at the little girl, trying to make her feel more at ease, and comfortable around her.

"Thank ya so much, Miss Cordelia. Ya really don't have any idea how much this means to us. If it wasn't for you, we wouldn't have anywhere to go."

"Ya, thank ya, Miss Delia" a small voice said, now clinging to her mothers leg. Both of the older woman laughed at April. Cordelia could definitely get used to having a bright little soul at the academy. And even, a pretty swamp witch.

"You're welcome" was Cordelia's reply, ever so soft. Once again, her eyes met Misty's blues, and they were both still. Mesmerized by each other. It wasn't until April pulled at Misty's hand to get her attention.

Cordelia coughed to break the silence "I- um- well i'm going to get dinner started, the girls should be coming back any second. Feel free to look around the place."

"Alright" Misty noticed her palms were sweating, she could even hear her own heartbeat. Nobody has ever made Misty felt this way. So why now?

"Thank ya again."

Cordelia gave one last -unintentionally- awkward smile, and then left the room.

Get it together, Cordelia mentally scolded herself, you're the supreme for god sakes.

Misty and April were called downstairs once dinner was ready. She held April close, because she knew there would be more people downstairs. Although she didn't get any funky vibes from Cordelia, she didn't know the rest of the girls. And she had a hard time trusting people.

"Dove, there's gonna be some people down there, but don't ya worry, alright? They ain't gonna hurt you, and i'm right here with ya" Misty said to the little girl in her arms, as they were finally leaving their room. Earlier, they took some time to explore the academy, when it was empty besides Cordelia's presence.

"No Mama" the girl cried "I don't wanna."

Misty gently brushed the girls cheek with her ringed thumb, and then sighed. There were some times, moments like these, where she wished she could've given April a normal childhood. But it was for their own safety that they stayed secluded.

"I know it's scary, love bug. But ya gotta eat dinner, and eventually, ya gonna have to meet them" Misty breathed in deeply, and then said, "I bet they're just as nice as Miss Cordelia. Alright?"

The girl, still, frantically shook her head. She was a good child, and didn't cause Misty much trouble, but she was afraid because she had never been around more than Misty herself, and now Cordelia. This was all new to her.

"No Mama! I don't want to!" The girls cries now turned into sobs, and she quickly kicked her way out of Misty's hold. She then ran back into their room, and the entire hallway echoed the sound of her wails.

"April!" Misty said, not sternly though, because it was extremely hard for her to ever punish her child. And there was really nothing for her to be mad about anyways; she's the one who hid April away since she was a newborn. She was just afraid, and Misty couldn't be angry at that.

"April, come on, darling. Ya gotta eat dinner. It's gonna be alright. Do you think I would ever put ya in danger?" She walked into the room and saw her little girl sitting criss-cross on the bed, with her hands tightly gripping the sheets. Misty wondered if April could even hear her over her own sobs.

"I'm not going! I'm not going!" She repeated, over and over again. The whole house was sure to hear.

"Apr-"

“Is she alright?"

Misty turned around to the sudden voice in the doorway. There, Cordelia stood, a worried expression written all over her face.

Misty sat besides her daughter who had yet to even notice Cordelia. She rubbed April's back, who had seemed to relax under her mothers touch.

"She's nervous to go downstairs and meet all of the girls. She hasn't ever been around so many people before."

Cordelia walked closer to the pair, cautiously taking her steps to ensure she wouldn't trigger a bigger tantrum. April had calmed down, but had still let some tears falls down her pale cheek.

"Hey, Honey" Cordelia then said, and took a seat on the other side of April.

The girl seemed to get used of the older woman, not completely, but she definitely wasn't freaked out to be around her.

"I promise the girls are very nice. I'm sure you'll love them, as they will you." Misty watched Cordelia as she started to ease the girl. Cordelia placed her hand on Aprils face to wipe her tears away, and she didn't even flinch. She allowed it to happen.

“Don't wanna go. Too many people."

Misty sighed, "I know darlin, but like I said, ya gonna have to eventually see them."

"Well, she can eat dinner outside. The three of us can. And then she can slowly start to meet them...if that's okay with you, of course" Cordelia suggested, and Misty's heart pounced for a moment. A dinner, with just her daughter, and this beautiful woman. It seemed...too nice to be possible.

"I couldn't possibly ask ya to do that."

"I don't think the girls would mind if their supremes misses a dinner or two" Cordelia smiled down at April, and then back at Misty.

"Alright' well...I think that'll work then."

"Perfect! I'll go fix us plates. Just meet me at the picnic table in the backyard."

Misty sat beside April at the said location, and then watch as Cordelia arrived with all three plates in here arms, using her powers to ensure that they wouldn't fall.

"I hope she like's steak and vegetables. I can cook something else for her if she doesn't" Cordelia said, biting on her lip, and taking a seat across from the pair. It wasn't exactly a child's food.

"Nah, she ain't picky. She'll eat almost anything if ya put it in front of her. But thank ya for the offer."

"Yeah, but not your food, mama. Ya cooking is really yucky."

Both older woman laughed at the girl "April Rhiannon Day, you are such a little fiber!" The smile on Misty's face was visible, and her voice held no offense whatsoever.

The girl took of bite of the food Cordelia had cooked, looked at the supreme, and then said, "Much better than Mama's."

At this, all three broke into laughter. "I'm glad you like it. You have to remind me to not let your mother in the kitchen" teased Cordelia.

Misty dramatically gasped "April look at you makin' me look bad now" she turned to Cordelia "I'm an a great chef for ya information. I think April's just tryna get on ya good side." Both of them giggled at Misty.

The three ate with some chatter in between. Turns out, Cordelia and Misty had much more in common than they figured, and Cordelia had to take a moment to figure out when the last time she was this happy was. She couldn't remember.

Once finished, April had started to play with Cordelia's black cat that had made it's way outside of the greenhouse and into the lawn. It was an older cat that spent it's day sitting down and being petted, or taking strolls around the house.

When April was far enough for her to not be able to hear the conversation at the picnic table, Cordelia and Misty continued.

"How long have you been living out at the swamp?" Cordelia asked, because she was genuinely interested in Misty's life beforehand.

"Since Lily was about two months old. So almost four years. It was to hide away, but I found that it was much better than where I was livin. I've always been, as my parents would say, 'one with nature."

"Hide away? From what?"

"From my..." Misty didn't even want to say it. "From my husband." It sounded awful out of her mouth, she knew that. She didn't want a husband, she didn't even want people to know that she had one.

"Oh" Cordelia said. To say she was disappointed was an understatement. Silly Cordelia, she could hear her mothers voice in her head, thinking she even has a chance to be loved.

"Forced marriage" Misty spit out, faster than her brain worked. "I told my mama I didn't want no husband. But where I lived, every woman's job was to get marry some man and have children. She just picked some nasty man at our church, and payed him almost all her money to have him marry me."

Misty breathed in deeply, and then continued "He was a drunk, and verbally abusive. Only hit me a few times but threatened me many more. I got pregnant with April a month after he 'married' me and then I ran away with her two months after she was born."

"Oh Misty, I'm so so sorry. You shouldn't have gone through that." Cordelia then remembered, her past husband used to constantly drink. She didn't even love him either. She felt as if she had finally found her other half. Someone that she could relate to.

"It's okay, really. 'm just grateful that I left before he ever hurt April. But that's all in the past now."

"Does she know about him?"

"She doesn't" Misty said, "I've just been telling her that she was a gift that the universe sent me. I'm not planning on telling her until she's older. It's just too heavy to tell her when she's so young."

Cordelia nodded, understanding.

"What about ya? Do ya have a family or anythin'"

The supreme felt awful silly to say no. She felt embarrassed, too. A middle aged woman without a partner or kids. She still found herself telling Misty though.

"No. My...husband was actually a witch hunter. Not to mention that he cheated on me many times, and came home drunk almost every night. I tried to have kids with him. I tried almost everything, but it was no give. I found out that I was infertile. A part of me is lucky that I didn't end up having a child with him. He died shortly after I divorced him."

"Wow, seems like we've both had a pretty fucked up 'marriage'" Misty said, and the older woman laughed at her. "I'm sorry that ya can't have kids though."

You can raise my daughter with me, is what Misty wanted to say. You can even be her stepmom, if you'd really like.

"It's okay. You know, sometimes I get upset about it, but there's really no point anymore."

"Well hey, ya got April now! I can tell she really loves ya." And I really love ya too.

"Is that so?" Cordelia's cheeks were beginning to hurt from smiling so brightly, and she figured that she must look foolish.

"Yep. When ya left the room she said 'we get to eat dinner with her? She's so awesome!' And let me tell ya, I ain't ever see her smiling that big ever since I told her she could keep some rabbit we found" Misty said.

The older witch laughed, for what must've been the millionth time that day. She was grateful, for whichever one of her girls came across Misty and told her about the academy. She was grateful that it led up to sitting on a picnic table, across from such a stunning swamp witch, and a darling little girl playing with her cat. It seemed too real. Too normal. Too natural.

"That's really sweet," was Cordelia response, and then continued, "She's a really awesome kid."

They smiled, and for a moment, Misty felt the sudden urge to lean forward. She had never felt that strongly about anyone in her life. Never felt the need to kiss someone. To Misty, it was pointless. But now that she had found this woman, it was the only thing she wanted to do.

But she couldn't do that. Couldn't scared the woman away. Couldn't ruin this. They would be kicked out, for sure. She couldn't have that over a silly kiss.

"Miss Delia!" A sudden voice called, and Cordelia turned her attention to the young girl. She was, still, sitting on the grass with the black cat. She had never seen her cat be so social before.

"Yes, sweetheart?"

"C'mere! Look at how Silly this kitty is!"

Cordelia got up and walked over to the girl. Crouched down, and watched as April put her hand up to the cat for a high five.

Now, of course Cordelia knew that her cat couldn't high five her back. She was a lazy old cat, and could hardly walk across the-

"Oh my god, how did you get her to do that?" Cordelia asked, surprised, because April did, in fact, get the cat to high five back.

April giggled at the older woman, staring at her with a big smile as she began to pet the cat's black fur once again.

"Secret" she put her finger up to her lips, and that's when Misty walked over to the pair.

"You have a very powerful girl on your hands." Cordelia said to the swamp witch, and Misty had bursted out into laughter at the older woman's shocked face. Misty was used to her daughters silly tricks.

Later that night, once all the girls were tucked into bed, Cordelia had made her way down to the kitchen.

She couldn't seem to sleep, so she decided to make herself some herbal tea to assist the tiredness.

She got out a single white cup, though almost smashed it to pieces when hearing her name behind her.

"Cordy."

"Madison, what did I tell you about scaring me? What are you even doing up?" She turned around to the girl; she was wearing black silk pajamas, though her hair was still tidy.

"It's not my fault you're so fucking jumpy" Madison crossed her arms "and I could also ask you the same thing."

Cordelia rolled her eyes, and began to pour her tea into the cup that she -luckily- didn't break.

"Can't sleep because you have a certain witch on your mind?" Madison pressed.

"Excuse me?" Cordelia, with her tea brewing, turned her entire body around to face the young witch that was now sat at the table.

"Oh cut the shit, Cordy. You went against your own rules of only eating at the table so you could eat with that swamp bitch and her daughter."

"I-" Madison was a bitch, but she wasn't stupid. She could read people very well to the point that Cordelia thought she could read minds. "Her daughter was scared. She's a child, i'm not going to be an asshole and tell her to suck it up."

"You didn't have to eat out there with them, did you? It seemed like you were having the time of your fucking life though."

"You we're watching me?" Cordelia said, bewildered, and turned back around to grab her cup.

"Fuck no" Madison scoffed, as if she was offended that Cordelia would even suggest that. "I have better things to do than watch some lesbian love story."

The younger blonde stood up, and brushed away the invisible wrinkles on her shirt.

"Okay. Madison, I think you should get some rest. Thank you. Goodnight" Cordelia said, dismissing the fact that Madison might actually be correct.

"You too, Cordy. You'll need it." Madison smirked, and walked out of the room. Leaving Cordelia in the dim with her hot tea, and racing thoughts. She was certainly not getting any sleep tonight.

The following morning, Cordelia woke up, after only getting two hours of shut eye, and threw on her robe to make her way downstairs.

The Academy was a peaceful quiet. With young witches living here, she didn't get this tranquil that often. Only when the girls were asleep. She enjoyed it. She enjoyed being alone. But the thought of being alone with Misty then came into mind again, and she didn't ever think she would be the same.

She walked into the kitchen to brew herself another cup of tea. Everything was normal, peaceful, it was just another Sunday morning.

Until...

"Oh my god" Cordelia dropped her mug and ran out the back door. From the window, she could see April in the backyard by herself, standing beside an...alligator?

"April!" Cordelia said, she yelled it but tried her best to whisper. She wouldn't want the alligator to get startled and go after them."April! Get away from that!"

The young girl giggled. She didn't seemed fazed, nor did the alligator. She put her hand out to pet the top of it's head, but Cordelia quickly grabbed her before she could do so.

"It's okay, miss Delia. He won't bite."

April wiggled out of the older woman's grasp and went back towards the alligator. This time, she successfully pet its head without any interruptions. The alligator itself, made no effort to attack.

"Me and Mama have a pet alligator back at the swamp. Her name is Stevie." She looked up at Cordelia, completely at ease. She's afraid of a few teenage girls, but not a wild animal. Interesting way to be raised, but Cordelia was intrigued.

"I- how is he not biting you, honey?"

The young girl shrugged her shoulders, and walked back over to Cordelia. "Friendly."

She grabbed Cordelia's hand, and the woman felt the urge to wash both of their hands, because who know where that alligator has been.

"Try" the girl offered, and slowly eased Cordelia's hand to the top of it's head. Once placed on the green scaley skin, Cordelia's hand entirely cringed. She didn't like the feeling, but she wouldn't mind digging her hands in some soil for hours.

However, Cordelia felt much more relaxed when the alligator just stayed put. The girl, Cordelia knew, had a magic touch. There was no way this would've went over well if she didn't.

"April!" Misty called from across the yard, and then ran over to the pair. Once she caught her breath, she began, "I told ya not to leave the room until I woke up. What ya doing out here playing with alligators?"

"I'm sorry mama. I saw 'em out the window and wanted to play."

Misty sighed and picked her daughter up. "It's alright, darlin. But ya know how I feel about letting you out with the alligators alone. I know you got those magical little powers, but I still get nervous."

April giggled at her mother, and then Misty looked over to see Cordelia's face. It was almost pale; alligators terrified her, any wild animals did. "And what ya doing scarin' Miss Cordelia like this?"

Cordelia laughed, and then said, "Well, I think she helped me get over my fear of alligators."

"She's good like that" was Misty's response.

After the whole alligator situation, Cordelia suggested breakfast.

Clearly, all three of them were early risers. It gave them easy access to the kitchen, without the other girls taking over.

Cordelia had come to found out that the swamp witches had a love for bagels. So that's exactly what Cordelia cooked for them, with a side of eggs.

Misty had argued that she didn't have to do that for them. You've done enough for us, she said. But Cordelia insisted, and Misty really couldn't turn down a bagel.

"Ya should consider being a chef." Misty looked up a the older woman, and washed a bit of her bagel down with some water. Cordelia just laughed at her.

"No seriously, I ain't ever see April scoff up food so quickly."

"I guess I'll consider it. A three year olds opinion on my cooking means more than you think to me" Cordelia teased, and Misty gave her a dopey smile.

Cordelia took a sip of her tea to hide her smile in the mug. She had never felt so comfortable around another person before. Of course she was able to have and hold conversations, but with Misty, it just flowed. They could sit here in complete silence without an awkward moment to spare.

"Morn- Oh...hi" Was what Zoe had said when she walked in on the three. Cordelia had told them that they had two new members of the academy, but none of the girls had actually got to meet them yet.

April, who was sitting beside Cordelia (because the young girl insisted that she did), scooted herself closer to the older woman. Noticing Aprils sudden demeanor, Cordelia protectively wrapped an arm around her.

"Zoe, this is Misty and April."

The brunette witch walked closer towards the table, recognizing Misty, but not so much the little girl. "Misty! I'm glad you came."

Zoe was the one who found Misty, or rather, Misty found Zoe. That's how the swamp witch knew exactly where to go when she was in need for shelter.

Misty smiled up at the girl, and then looked over at her daughter coddling into Cordelia's side across the table. "This is my daughter, April."

Zoe didn't take a step closer, because she could see how the young girl tensed up. "Well, it's very nice to meet you, April. I'm Zoe!"

The four year old look over at her mother for permission. She didn't need permission to talk, and Misty made that known, but it made April feel safer. Because after all, her mother knew best.

"Nice to meet you" the girl mumbled, a timid smile on her face.

"She's...shy" Misty chimed in, and Zoe nodded. She was shy as a child too, so she completely understood.

Zoe made her way over to the coffee pot, and Misty and Cordelia continued their conversation.

"I uh, I have to go back to my swamp to grab April and I's things to today. I was wondering if ya would be okay with watching April while i'm gone?" Misty rubbed the back of her neck, a nervous habit. Before Cordelia could reply, Misty shot back with another nervous sentence "It's okay if ya can't, I completely understand."

"Hey, of course I will" Cordelia said, and reached her hand across the table to place it over Misty's. She wasn't thinking she just...did it. "Are you sure you'll be okay though? I'm mean, what if they're still there?"

"Well I ain't got any funky feelin' about it, so I think i'll be fine."

Cordelia smiled, and noticed how awfully red Misty checks were. Why did my touch make her blush, Cordelia wondered, but quickly shook that though away. Don't be foolish, Cordelia.

"I'll be right back, baby. Miss Cordelia's gonna watch you while i'm gone." Misty said, crouching down to the girls level, who was sitting on the couch. Cordelia was sitting right beside her.

"Where are ya going, mama?" April asked, her hand grasping her mothers shirt, in hopes that it would make her stay.

"Just gotta pick up our stuff from the swamp, alright? I'll be back here super quick. Promise" Misty placed a kiss on Aprils forehead, and then stood up, and walked towards the door. "Bye, you be good for Miss Cordelia, now. Love ya."

"Love ya mama."

"Bye, be safe, Misty. Seriously" Cordelia said, an eyebrow raised to show that she was, in fact, serious.

"I know, I know. Bye."

Once Misty had left, April had moved herself closer into Cordelia's side. She had never been without her mother. Definitely not in a huge academy without her. However, she felt somewhat safe with Cordelia. At least until her mother returned.

"It's okay" Cordelia said, because she looked down, and April's entire face was hiding in Cordelia's side. She rubbed her hand over her back, and the girl started to feel less tense.

"How about we watch a movie until she comes back? How does that sound?"

With this, April looked up. The perplexity on the young girls face was something Cordelia could laugh at; it was adorable.

She grew up with no cable, that's right.

"Here, you'll understand once I put it on."

Cordelia leaned forward to grab the remote. She turned on Disney plus -because the girls had somehow convinced her to get a subscription for the academy's tv, but only after the fact that she bought them Netflix as well.

She settled on playing the little mermaid, because she figured that that would be the perfect movie for April.

Once the opening credits began, April looked up at the older woman. She was cuddling up against her side again, and Cordelia's arm was wrapped around her small frame.

She looked back at the tv once she heard talking, that's when it had really caught her attention. After that, she was mesmerized by it.

An hour later, Misty had came back with few bags in her hand. She placed them by the doorway of the living room to greet her daughter. Though, she didn't make a single sound when she saw the pair watching tv.

She walked over to the side of the couch, and Cordelia looked up at her with a smile. However, April hadn't moved a single muscle.

"I've never taken my daughter for the tv type of girl. But after all we didn't really have cable" Misty whispered, and took a seat beside Cordelia who simply chuckled at her.

"She hasn't took her eyes off for the entire time it's been playing."

April looked completely relaxed, almost as much as when it was just her and Misty back at the swamp.

Her head was now laying on Cordelia's chest, and her thumb was gently placed in her mouth. Her eyes were drooping, but she refused to close them because after all, how could she possibly miss The Little Mermaid?

The three of them sat like that, until the last twenty minutes of the movie had come to an end. And by then, April had already fallen asleep on Cordelia. Her eyes gave up the fight to sleep ten minutes before the ending.

"I don't want to accidentally wake her up" Cordelia said to Misty, quietly.

"She's a heavy sleeper. Don't worry about it." It was mid day, so Misty knew that a nap would do her good, she also knew the crankiness that would come with waking her up.

"Uh but anyways, I actually brought ya back a little something from my shack" Misty reached into her brown tote bag that was still on her shoulder.

"Oh you really didn't have to" but why did you?

"Don't be silly, you've done so much for us, it's the least I could do" Misty said, and pulled out two rings from her bag. "I forgot I had these. They're the same so I thought; one for you, one for me."

The swamp witch held them up in Cordelia's view. It was two frog rings. "Lemme see your hand."

Cordelia held out her hand for the swamp witch, and Misty had chosen to put it on her ring finger. She's not married, so it's really not a big deal.

"There. Now you're my wife." It was nothing romantic, really. She was just simply...her wife. It was a just a simple joke.

But Cordelia didn't have too many friends that she would make jokes with. Even from her childhood, she couldn't remember any of her friends acting like that. So, was it really a joke?

She wasn't mad. She...liked the sound of it, actually. Her wife. Misty day is my wife. It sounded nice, felt natural. She never thought, not ever, that she would say something like that.

"I- um thank you, wow." Cordelia said, stuttering uncontrollably. Now, Cordelia was a very sophisticated person, but Misty day completely ruined that. Ruined her. But in the best way possible.

"Too much? I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-"

"No it's okay" Cordelia cut in, and noticed that the second ring was also on Misty's ring finger. "No, I actually really like the sound of that."

"You do?" Misty asked.

"I really do."

And then, that was that.

But still, it wasn't really possible that Misty could like her back. No, of course not. Misty called her, her wife as a joke.

And Cordelia...well she was just...playing along with it.

Later that night, when Misty, Cordelia, and the rest of the academy was settled in bed, April decided she had different plans.

Every night, whether they were at the academy or not, she would sleep in her mothers arms. But just like her daughter, Misty was a heavy sleeper. She made it easy for April to easily slide out of her grasp. And that's exactly what she did.

April was a curious child. Misty had once awoke to April's absence, and later found her on the other side of the swamp.

She wanted to explore.

And what better time then when the entire city was asleep?

April Day had made her way down the grand staircase, and had somehow ended up in the library, and then the dining room that she had yet to see. There was a huge part of the academy that she hasn't even visited yet.

But once the sleepiness had struck her, she decided to take herself back upstairs.

She didn't want to sleep with her mother tonight. Cordelia was much comfier to take a nap on, as she did earlier. And so, she went to the supremes bedroom, and knocked on the door.

It didn't take long before Cordelia opened it. Even in her sleep, she was on high alert. Living in a house full of witches, a house full of young girls at that, you never could know what'll happen.

"Hi honey" Cordelia said, her robe tightly wrapped around her cold frame. Even in the heat of June, the academy always seemed to be cool. "What're you doing up so late?"

Cordelia tired to suppress a yawn behind the back of her hand. April just shrugged. "Couldn't sleep so I looked around. But now I don't wanna sleep with Mama, I wanna sleep with you."

“Oh" Cordelia could've cried, she almost did. She always wanted a child so badly, and although April wasn't exactly her child, she was lucky that the young girl enjoyed her presence. "Well, of course, honey. Come in."

Cordelia stepped to the side, and small feet made their way in. She placed herself on Cordelia's bed, as if she had done it every night before. And then Cordelia sat herself on her own side of the bed.

When she finally reached over to shut off the lamp, there was another knock at the door. A rather frantic knock.

Cordelia stood up out of the bed. She laughed to herself. It was comically, really. She knew who it was, and couldn't seem to be angry.

When the older woman opened the door, she already expected what Misty was going to say, so she saved her the breath. "She's in here" Cordelia said, her voice light, and welcoming. She watched as the instant relief washed over her. "She just came to my door, and asked if she could sleep in here. I hope you don't mind. I just couldn't say no to her."

"Of course I don't" Misty assured, and grabbed Cordelia's hand. After being away from civilization for so long, she missed physical touch besides her daughters. Cordelia even recognized that. "I trust ya with her."

"Mama" the girl sleepily called from Cordelia's bed. Misty looked over the older woman's shoulder, and couldn't suppress a laugh as she saw her daughter fully relaxed on the bed.

Cordelia stepped aside, and let Misty make her way to April. The young girl smiled, giddy. "What are ya doing waking up Miss Cordelia late at night? And what ya even doing up, love bug?"

"Sorry mama, but I missed Miss Delia. I liked sleeping' on her" her thick southern accent echoed throughout the room.

"Well I would like if ya told me first, darlin." Misty wasn't mad. She wasn't the type of parent to discipline her child. She just couldn't. Not when her world only ever consisted of April.

The young girl nodded and then suggested for her mother to join them. Misty simply declined, explaining that it was Cordelia's bed, and she couldn't just offer that. "Well...i'm mean, I don't mind" Cordelia's said, chiming into the conversation.

She didn't mind. Her bed has been pretty empty and cold for awhile now. Even with Hank back before her supremacy. She wouldn't want anyone else to occupy it besides the two girls that she was growing to love; both in different ways.

"I- are ya sure? I don't want to intrude or anything." Misty rubs the back of her neck again. Cordelia recognized this behavior. She noticed that she only does it when she's nervous.

She doesn't want Misty to be nervous around her. But why is she to begin with?

"Of course you're not. I wouldn't have offered if I didn't want you to" Cordelia reassures, and smiles after. She want's me to sleep in her bed with her, Misty thinks.

"Alright then."

Misty takes a seat beside her child on the bed, and watches as Cordelia unties her robe to reveal her pajamas's. Silk. Black silk, with lace trimming. God, Cordelia was a tease, Misty thought. Her legs, they were toned, and long, and her top had revealed just a sliver of her stomach.

Enough Misty. You're acting ridiculous, the voice in her head tells her, but her heart tells her otherwise.

"Night, darlin. Love ya" Misty says to distract herself, and kisses April's forehead. But the young girl is so sleepy, and now unaware of her mothers presence, that she doesn't respond.

She gently lays her head down on the pillow, facing her daughter. And once Cordelia lays down herself, she unintentionally faces the pair. With a half asleep child between them, it makes the tension of it just being the both of them mentally present, rise.

Misty doesn't realize that's she staring into Cordelia's eyes, until the nerves settle in her stomach. "Goodnight, Miss Cordelia" the swamp witch says. "Goodnight, Misty." They both squeeze they're eyes shut, in hopes that that'll fall asleep quickly.

Neither of them do.

They're both up all night.

But also, both unaware that the other is awake.

Misty stretches out her limbs, and her eyes haven't quite opened yet. She could see the bright light, trying to fight it's way through the darkness of her eyelids.

She finally opens them. White is what she see's. Almost everything is white and nothing like the furniture at her shack. There's not a spec of dirt that you could see on the white comforter, or the white walls. However, at her shack, you could see the dirt through the reddest of reds, or the deepest blues.

As she turns in the bed, she realizes that's she's not where she’s supposed to be. It's not her shack, no, everything's too bright. But it's not her new room; the bed she's laying in is too big.

"Morning sleepyhead" Cordelia spoke into the room from the doorway. Blue eyes shot open at realization. She was alone...in Cordelia's bed, with Cordelia watching her.

Porcelain cheeks were now a deep red, and she threw the covers off because, suddenly, her body was overheating.

"I'm sorry."

"No you're fine. Sleep. You need it, you've got a curious child on your hands. That must be tiring."

"April. Where's April?" Misty's panic settles in, whereas Cordelia doesn't seem to be worrying. It seems as if she already has everything under control.

"Would you believe me if I told that she was eating breakfast with Zoe right now?" Cordelia took a seat on the side of her bed, and Misty sat up because she felt silly.

"Ya joking?"

"I'm dead serious. I woke up, and she was in the kitchen making pancakes with Zoe" Said Cordelia. Misty then scooted closer to the older woman, legs pulled up and folded beneath her. "Well...that gives us more 'us' time. It's hard to spend time with ya when there's a four year old running around."

Us time?, Cordelia questioned, and wished she had the confidence to verbalize it, what exactly does that mean?

"Yeah. Us time." Cordelia didn't know exactly what that meant, but she liked the sound of it. Any time with Misty sounded nice.

Misty leaned over, and kissed Cordelia. Deeply kissed her. The older woman didn't know how, but she eventually ended up underneath the swamp witch. She grabbed Misty thighs that were on either of of her waist, causing Misty to elicit a gasp from the touch on sensitive skin.

Cordelia was thinking too deeply again. Misty snapped her finger in front of Cordelia's face, and the woman blinked, hard, a few times. "Ya there?"

"Yeah sorry. I- just- yeah..."

Misty questionably looked at Cordelia, and then laughed at the woman. "Alright. Well how about ya just lay down? Just relax a bit."

She was going to decline the offer, but then Misty had laid back down too, and she wondered if this is what us time meant.

"Ya seem so tense. Am I making ya nervous?" Nervous. Oh yes. Completely. But in the best way possible.

"No" she decided to say, instead, and then came up with an excuse, "I'm just tired, I guess. From working."

It was partly true. Cordelia was tired from working. She always was. Her back all the way up to her neck, even hurt a bit from sitting at her desk. She thinks Misty picked up on that.

"Well...I can give ya a massage," was Misty's response. Cordelia turned her head to the cajun. She was already looking at her back at her.

"You really don't have-"

"Don't be silly. I'm the best massager- masseuse" Cordelia laughed at Misty's lack of grammar education, but meant no offensive. She thought, it was adorable. "-Best masseuse in town. Used to always give my daddy back massages when I was a little girl."

"O-okay. Then I guess it couldn't hurt to try."

"Alright, Darlin. Take off ya shirt and lay on ya back." Darling. So clearly, Misty decided to make this much harder for Cordelia to contain herself.

"My...shirt?" Cordelia questioned. If Misty asked her to run naked through the grocery store, then hell, she would. But right now, Misty asking her to take her shirt off seemed....very presumptuous.

"Well I can't rub ya back and everything with all this fabric in the way." Misty seem unbothered, like she had been planning this out. "Don't worry, 'm not gonna see anything. And we're both women anyways, right?"

"Right." Cordelia breathed.

Misty turned around because the swamp witch had respect. As much as she wished to turn back, she never would do that to Cordelia.

Misty didn’t turn back around until she felt Cordelia lay on the bed.

Misty saw Cordelia, laying there with only her wide leg pants on. Her breathe hitched, because she hadn't fully realized what she was asking of the supreme.

The woman was beautiful, her back. Misty never thought her breath would be taken by something so silly, but Misty was sitting here in Cordelia's bed, and Cordelia was shirtless.

Misty was bold, she straddled Cordelia's waist, and ran her hand against the dip of her spine. There were a bunch of freckles across the patch of flesh, and she noticed, a tattoo right on the nape of her neck.

Cordelia shivered at Misty's touch. Her body even shifted closer to her hand. "What's the tattoo mean?"

"Hm?" Asked Cordelia, her voice quavering, and slightly muffled in her pillow.

"The tattoo. On the back of ya neck. What does it mean?"

"Oh um, it's a symbol of the fight against the odds" Cordelia, without entirely realizing it, rubbed the tattoo as she spoke.

"It's very pretty, I just wouldn't take ya to be a tattoo kind of person" Misty said, and then brushed her own thumb against it when Cordelia's hand laid back down.

"Not really. I just got a few tattoos when I was younger. Mostly in spite of my mother; because she wasn't able to stop me for once."

Misty chuckled, Cordelia was full of surprises, and she wondered what else she could uncover from the older woman.

"Well you'll have to show me all of them some time" Misty said, because she genuinely cared. She wanted to explore every tattoo and freckle on Cordelia's skin.

But then she remembered, Misty was straddling Cordelia for a reason. And she must get to work before April decides that she's done with Zoe's company.

Misty pressed her hands against the tense muscles on Cordelia's back. Cordelia sighed at the contact. Misty noticed, the supreme was extremely tense, her muscles quite tight.

She worked out a few knots, and Cordelia, for the most part, did her best to suppress her moans with a bite on her bottom lip. But when Misty reached a particular tight spot on her neck, she couldn't contain herself anymore.

"Really enjoying it, I see?" Misty said, her voice teasing, but Cordelia still blushed.

"Sorry."

"No, don't be sorry. Make all the noises ya want."

Misty's hands kneaded Cordelia's back for a little while longer. Longer than necessary, really. She enjoyed watching the older woman sink into the mattress under her touch.

"All done. How do ya feel?" Misty asked, and placed herself down beside Cordelia. She was staring into the older woman's eyes that have seemed to grow droopy once again.

"Amazing. Misty, you have such magical hands. Thank you."

"Why thank you. I'm glad I could help."

Cordelia decided, that she wanted to turn and lay on her back after being on her stomach for awhile. However, her body had decided to work faster than her mind. She turned around without the realization that she had no such thing as a top on.

"Oh. Oh my god. I-"

"Y-Ya fine. It's okay" Misty said. She seemed flustered herself, and it took her a good second to look away.

"I don't know why I just did that. I forgot- I totally forgot that I wasn't wearing anything."

Cordelia quickly stood up, and turned her back to Misty. She threw her clothing back on, and covered her face with her hands.

"I'm embarrassed."

"No, don't be. And stop hiding ya pretty face."

Misty stood up and peeled Cordelia's hands off her face, then intertwined their fingers, and not to mention their bodies pressed up against each other's.

What the fuck, was Cordelia's thought. Her only thought at the moment. However, a good what the fuck.

"I'm gonna go get dressed before April comes looking for me. You go relax. I swear, Miss Cordelia, don't go tensing up ya muscles again."

Cordelia stood there, bewildered. And Misty smiled and walked to her door. Misty knew what she did, and hell, she even found it comical.

It was Cordelia's turn though.

Nobody gets to fluster the supreme. Not without payback.

"Hey Misty?"

The swamp witch turned around, and hummed a, "mhm."

"You can drop the 'miss.' In my name. I don't think it's necessary after you straddled me and made me moan."

Misty's face turned a deep shade of red. Do not let her get to you. "Alright, Delia." Was Days response. Strong, but she still cleared her throat. The softness that Misty had given her a nickname, almost made Cordelia melt into a puddle. "Go relax." She said, finally, again.

Later that day, Misty and Cordelia sat in a terribly awkward silence in the kitchen.

For the second dinner, Cordelia had decided to eat with just the two of them at the small kitchen table.

They haven't talked much since the mornings events. They liked how things were left off, as in, they were too shy and flustered to actually speak to each other.

When they were eventually taking their last bite’s of food, April had brought up the idea of a playground. According to her, Zoe explained what it was, confused as to why the little girl didn't already know what a park was.

She had never been to a park before, hence she never had left the swamp.

She wanted to visit one. She wanted to climb monkey bars, and go down slides, as Zoe had explained to her. To April, it seemed like paradise.

"Please Mama! I wanna go!" April said, tugging on her mother's shirt. At this point, she had neglected her dinner, and stood up out of her seat.

"How about tomorrow, darlin? The suns about to go down" Misty ran her fingers through the young girls curly blonde locks to calm her down.

She wasn't stubborn, nor difficult. She sighed, an sat back down with a sorrowful look. "If ya finish ya dinner, I promise i'll take ya tomorrow. We can even make a day of it, and get ice cream."

"Fine. Can Miss Delia come too?" They both looked over to the older woman, who had been trying to avoid Misty's eye contact, but had suddenly let it go once the attention shifted to her.

"If she's wants to, then I would be more than happy."

"I have a free day tomorrow. But I wouldn't want to intrude on-"

Misty cut her off before she could even finish. "Ya aren't intruding. April and I really want ya to come."

"Okay. Okay, then sure, why not."

That day, the three woke up earlier than usually. Mostly because April had decided to jump up and down on their sleeping bodies once the clock stuck seven.

April had insisted on sleeping in Cordelia's bed once again. And Cordelia didn't mind, of course she didn't. She even offered Misty to join them. And she did, join them.

"April. What time is it?" Misty groaned, and rubbed her eyes. She realized, April wasn't able to tell time yet. "Oh right." she turned her body towards the clock on Cordelia's wall. It was seven. Seven in the morning.

"Baby, what’re ya doing up so early?" Usually, April wouldn't wake up a single soul when she would wake. She would sneak around the house -or the swamp when they used to live there.

"Park!" She said, loud, and Cordelia and Misty tightly squeezed their eyes shut at the loud noise so early in the morning.

"It's seven in the morning, darlin. The park ain't going anywhere." The girl frowned at her mother's disapproval. "How about ya go play with some of ya toys and let Delia and I sleep for few more minutes?"

"Fine Mama, but don't take too long."

April made her way out of Cordelia's room, and Misty didn't fully relax until she heard the door of her own bedroom click.

"Who blessed me with such an early bird?" Misty asked, said, to the sleepy woman beside her. Cordelia laughed, and took a brave move to rest her head against Misty's shoulder.

The swamp witch stilled. This felt all too intimate. "I'm sorry, is this too much?" Cordelia shifted slightly away from Misty, but was still able to feel each other's skin.

"No! No. Come back" Misty breathed. She felt a chill, emptiness, wash over her. "No, ya can put ya head there. I'm just...nervous."

"Nervous? why's that, honey?" Cordelia rested her head, once again, on the younger woman's shoulder. How was she supposed to explain to Cordelia that the fact that she just called her honey in bed, had made her desperately want to kiss her?

"I guess I just- I just never shared a bed with another woman before. That gotta be the reason for all these anxious feelings in my stomach" said Misty.

"Is that so?"

"Um" Misty smacked her lips. Her throat felt dry, suddenly. "Yeah. I think so. I think it is."

"Or is it because..." could the supreme read her mind? Was that a power she possessed? She hoped not. "You're in my bed with me."

Her breath was hot against Misty's ear. And close. So close that she felt, just with a single movement, Cordelia's lips brush against her ear.

It was hot in this room. It had to be hot in this room. Misty was hot, she was burning. She needed water, too.

"You're thinking very loud." Cordelia finally said, after Misty wouldn't say anything.

Mind reading, of course.

"Y-ya reading my thoughts."

"No. It's just very quiet in here and it seems that you're mind is racing. It's almost impossible to block them."

“Oh." Misty was screwed. Definitely.

"You want to kiss me" Cordelia didn't ask, she said. She heard Misty's thoughts say it herself. She knew this swamp witch was trying to retain herself.

"Yes." Misty felt as if Cordelia had put her under a spell. She didn't, but she certainly believed that she did.

"Then come here and kiss me."

Cordelia would've never had the confidence four years ago, or even a day ago. But Misty made her feel powerful. Misty made her feel things, that nobody else had made her feel once before. The desire to kiss Misty was so strong that her insecurity had vanished.

Misty turned her body. Everything was so loud; the sheets moving beneath her, the air conditioner, even her own thoughts were hurting her ears.

She sat up on her knees, and just like the previous night, straddled Cordelia's waist.

The older woman beneath her squirmed to lay on her back. "Ya sure?" Misty asked, her nerves moving to the side for a moment, because she would not kiss this woman without her fully consenting.

"Yes. Misty please kiss me before I go insa-"

Cordelia's lips were soft. Definitely not how Misty's 'husband's' felt. She didn't know kissing could possibly feel this good. She never understood anyones desire for it. Now she did. Now she understands the want to become one with their partner. To want to be so close that you become conjoined with them.

"You're so-" Cordelia's breathes in deeply, between kisses. She decides not to finish that sentence, because she can't possibly figure out how to finish it. "I wanted this since I first saw you."

Misty continues to kiss her, and then her neck. Cordelia gasps. Hank could never do that. Not ever. His scratchy beard would get in the way. Misty though, Misty was soft, and gentle, yet so incredibly passionate and greedy.

Misty doesn't say anything. Doesn't need to say anything. Her lips on Cordelia's skin does enough talking.

The rest of it...history.

"Ya excited, darlin?" Misty asked as April skipped down the street. One of the little girls hand was occupied with Misty's. The other, Cordelia's.

Anyone passing by would believe that they were one happy family. But, the only ones who really knew that Misty tasted Cordelia's lips this morning was the two women holding April's hand.

"Yeah! I'm gonna go on the monkey bars, and the slide, and the swings!"

"Sounds fun! Wish I was little again!" Cordelia teased, a smile written on the woman's face. But really, she doesn't think that she had ever stopped smiling since this morning. Misty as well.

Misty then whispered in Cordelia's ear, "Are ya sure, baby? This mornin' wouldn't of happened if you were-"

"Misty Day!"

She was afraid that Misty's daughter would've heard. They weren't planning on telling her. At least not yet. Nobody was going to know what they were hiding until they were entirely official.

April didn't hear it though. She was too short to hear anything that Misty would've whispered in Cordelia's ear. And it was like that for the rest of the walk there; Misty being such a tease.

The young girl, though, ran right off onto the play sets as soon at they got there. It was fairly empty, seeing it was an early Wednesday afternoon. "Be careful, love bug. Don't want any boo-boo's." She was sure the April didn't hear her though. There was too much excitement in such a small body to focus on anything else.

The two women took a seat beside each other on the benches. Misty doesn't realize how closes she sat, until her their legs are practically squished together.

"I think we need to talk about...earlier" Cordelia says what they've both been thinking.

"I really enjoyed it. I really enjoy ya!"

"I know." Cordelia confirmed, immediately after Misty. "I really did too. I really do. It's just...April. I love her, and I don't mind her at all. In fact, i'm just afraid that she won't want me to be with you."

"Oh Delia" she placed her hand on the older woman's thigh. This time, Cordelia doesn't tense up. She's not nervous to be around her anymore. "If I told her right now that ya were going to be her 'stepmom' then I think she would be more excited than being at the park."

Cordelia giggled at Misty, and then placed her hand atop of her's. "She's loves ya. Hell, she won't even go to bed unless ya there. Ya don't have to worry about it. I'm serious."

"Okay..." Cordelia tries to repress her smile. Because it's embarrassing for her, really. For the supreme to be giddy, like a school girl, over a swamp witch. "So what does that makes us?"

"Well I hope that make's ya my girlfriend. But only if that's what ya want."

"I want that a lot." Cordelia intertwines her fingers with Misty's, and Cordelia's crossed legs luckily covers their conjoined hands from April's view. They need to make it special when they tell her.

The park day end's with a crying April. All because she couldn't listen to her mother when she specifically told her to be careful.

Cordelia was the one to get her when she fell. Her motherly instinct took over. April had clung onto her, maybe even tighter than she did to her mother was she got stung by a bee back at the swamp.

Her bloody knee dangled below her as she sobbed in Cordelia's arms. It was nothing serious, just a simple scrape.

"It's okay. It's okay, baby. I'm here, I got you." Cordelia says. Though, she really wished they would've taken the car down.

Misty watched from beside them. Her daughter was hurt, and she was upset about that. Although, the way Cordelia comforted April had definitely made a part of her heart beat faster.

"Hurts" She wailed, face now nuzzling into the crook of Cordelia's neck.

It was time to go, they both decided. And Misty hoped this wouldn't scare her daughter into not coming back. She already ripped away four years of normal life from this poor girl. She wanted her to at least enjoy normal kid things like the park.

Though, she was a brave child. She play with alligators for god sakes. She would cry now, but laugh later once the pain had gone away.

"Shhh. I know" Cordelia cooed in her ear, rubbing her back to soothe the young girl. "We're going to go home and get you felling all better. I promise it'll be okay."

The walked home had consisted of the two women trying to calm her down. Nothing seemed to entirely work, but she did stay in Cordelia's arms. She felt safe with Cordelia. She really loved Cordelia. And as much as Misty loved that, she worried. Worried that, what if things didn't work out between them. Then what?

"Mama's gonna go get new clothes for you, because these ones got a little muddy. And i'm just gonna to clean your boo-boo, okay?."

April, who was sitting on Cordelia's bathroom counter, nodded, and rubbed her puffy eye's.

Cordelia wetted a wash cold with some cool water, and stopped her hand before it reached April’s wound. "It's going to hurt just a little bit, but I have to clean it so it doesn't get infected. You can squeeze my arm if it hurts to much, alright sweetie?"

She elicited a single whine, and pulled her leg away. "Don't want to hurt."

Cordelia then placed the wash cloth down. This was going to be hard; to help her when she knew it was going to hurt. She didn't understand how parents did it. She needed Misty to train her, clearly.

"I know, but it'll be really, really quick and then maybe we can get ice cream after!" That deal had seemed to work for April, as she moved back to her earlier position.

As Cordelia had cleaned her up, the girl appeared to be stronger than she was showing. The older woman got out a pack of bandaids. She had smiley face ones laying around, because the store had seemed to be out of regular ones when she went. Though it worked out, because what child just wanted a normal bandaid.

"And..." she stuck the bandaid to her knee "all done! You did so good, honey!" April giggled, pain long forgotten.

"Forgot kiss" April said, pointing to where the bandaid stuck.

Cordelia didn't have a kid, or parents who treated her right, so she didn't exactly follow. "A kiss?"

"Gotta give boo-boo a kiss."

"Oh, that's right! How could I forget?"

She leaned down, her lips quickly meeting the smiley bandaid. With a 'mwah' sound, she looked back up at the girl. She beamed down at Cordelia.

"Better?"

"Yeah!"

"Oh boy. What do you two want?" Misty asked, clearly teasing.

Cordelia and April stood there hand in hand, both with a puppy dog face, as they stared back at Misty.

"You forgot something" it was clear to Misty that Cordelia was going along with whatever April was pulling, to cheer her. She wasn't actually serious.

"Ice cream, Mama!" April said, before Misty was even able to think.

She had forgotten that. Told her that they would make a day of the park, and get ice cream. After what happened this morning, along with April getting hurt, it completely slipped her mind.

"Oh that's right. I'm so sorry, darlin's, I totally forgot." Darlin's. Misty had went from Darlin, to Darlin's all because of earlier's events. Her two darlin's. Her two girls. Her girlfriend and daughter.

Cordelia looked down at the ring on her finger. The one that matched Misty's. 'Now you're my wife,' she recalled Misty saying. It was a simple joke, but it wasn't. Wasn't a joke to neither of them.

Cordelia smiled at her. Misty noticed that it wasn't from the ice cream. She could tell, what she had said, genuinely made her happy.

The three piled into Cordelia's car. Misty couldn't drive, nor did she even own a car. So, thank god, she had Cordelia.

The older woman looked in the mirror at April in the backseat. She realized, they needed to get her a car seat. She was far to small and young to be riding without one.

She would pay for it, she decided. She would pay for the ice cream too. Anything to repay Misty for this morning.

"We should pick up a car seat for April too, after. I'll pay."

"Ya right, but ya really don't have to pay. I got a few bucks" Said Misty. She lived in Cordelia’s house, ate the food she bought, was now using Cordelia's car gas, not to mention sleeping in her bed. She wanted to pay after Cordelia had taken her in, and cared for her and her child.

"Nope. No. I'm paying, and i'm the supreme so I get the last say in it."

Misty looked over at the woman, and she didn't look back because her eyes were focused on the road. Though, she could feel Misty's eyes, could see her smile in the corner of her eyes.

"Ya something else, Cordelia Goode."

Cordelia winked at her, and bit her lip to contain her smile.

"What're you gonna get?" Cordelia asked April, who was in her arms after the little girl insisted.

"Strawberry! That's what mama got me last time I had ice cream." She doesn't remember ever being this excited over ice cream at Aprils age. Doesn't remember being excited over all lot of things. When she was a little girl, she already had everything she wanted and more, but the only think ever missing was a loving parent. It's nice, she thinks, to see things from another living stand point. Who does have a loving mother, but hardly anything to her name.

"That's a good choice, honey!"

Cordelia orders for her, because the girl is suddenly too shy once they get up there. And then, when all three have their ice cream, they take a seat on one of the picnic benches.

"Vanilla? Really? The most boring flavor" Misty says, while sitting across from Cordelia. She's, clearly, only being Misty.

"Hey! Leave me alone. I don't like those crazy flavors that whatever you got is."

"Well for ya information, it's chocolate fudge brownie. And I think ya just jealous that ya so boring with ya vanilla." Misty made sure to emphasize her words, and get close to Cordelia's face.

Oh such a tease, Cordelia thought. She knows I want to kiss her.

"Am not boring! You're just insane!"

April giggled at the two women playfully arguing with each other. Misty thought, no, she knew, that this would work. This was her little family.

"Ya are a little boring with vanilla, Miss Delia" April chimes in, and Misty then high fives her daughter.

Cordelia dramatically gasps "I think this is just a little mother-daughter duo thing that you're both pulling on me. Teaming up or something."

They both laughed, and then April hugs the older woman beside her, unexpectedly. "Ya can be my mommy too, don't worry."

Cordelia looks up at Misty, while simultaneously reciprocating the hug. Don't cry, don't cry. Both of them, did, almost cry.

"Well I would love nothing more, sweetheart" Cordelia says, through a shaky breath, then they all then continue to eat their ice cream in pure bliss.

They arrive at the mall, and April's worried. She'd never been around this many people. She had also never been to a store, or mall, and wasn't too keen on the idea.

However, Cordelia held her against her hip. When she felt the girl tug on her shirt, she knew to pick her up. She didn't want her 'mama' right now, she wanted her said 'mommy,' her second mother.

"There's nothing to worry about. You know, the malls actually really cool. They have toys, and clothes, and everything you could possibly dream of." Cordelia said while they walked through the automatic doors. Misty walked beside them with a smile. It felt nice to have Cordelia there while her daughter experienced things she should've a long time ago. She seemed to be at ease around the older woman, very much so.

Cordelia brought them into the children's store. Misty herself had absolutely no clue what she was doing, because anything that April had was handmade, that's how it was when Misty was a child too.

Cordelia placed April down once they entered the isle filled with car seats. Nobody was around anyways. The mall was practically empty at the time they decided to go.

"I'm paying" Misty brought up, once she saw all of the price tags. It wasn't overly expensive, not for Cordelia at least. But for Misty, it was almost as if she were buying a real diamond ring.

"No you're not. I am." Was Cordelia's reply, and she made no effort to even look at Misty. She kept searching for the perfect seat.

"Ya payed for ice cream. Ya let us stay in ya house, for lords sake. Just let me pay for this."

"And you brought so much happiness in my life, Misty. You and April both did. So, let me pay for this, okay? I have the money, and I don't want you to waste yours."

Misty didn't speak. She knew not to say anything. She tried to push a smile out. What Cordelia said was sweet, her gesture was sweet. But, Misty knew she would cry from Cordelia's kind wording.

April had ended up choosing a car seat that was black with light green outlining. She had learned, April's favorite color was green, just like Misty's.

"Before we pay, I want to treat you to a toy of your choice." Cordelia said, and with the little girl in her arms, turned down to the toy isle. Misty had no choice but to follow them, even if she didn't like the idea of Cordelia 'wasting' her money on them.

"Delia, ya don't-"

"Shush, Misty" Cordelia cut her off, chucking to let her know that she was only joking. Misty sighed. Cordelia wasn't going to let her win this.

"You can choice anything you want, sweetie." The older woman placed April back down, and the young girl began to look around the isle.

While so, Misty whispered to Cordelia, "This is too much. How can I repay you?"

"You don't have to repay me. Just you and April being in my life is enough."

Eventually, April had chosen a stuffed alligator. Cordelia figured, the girl wouldn't want a barbie doll or anything like that. April only own stuffed animals to begin with, made by her mother's own two hands.

Later that night, once April had fallen asleep in Cordelia's bed, both women snuck downstairs.

For some odd reason, neither of them could sleep. And it seemed that April had been put into a deep sleep. So, they settled with some hot tea on the front porch.

"So i've been thinking a lot lately" Cordelia suddenly said, her attention was towards the moon, but her mind was elsewhere.

She sipped her tea, and could feel Misty's blue eyes on her. Could see the blue hue reflecting in the corner of her eye. The swamp witch hummed for her to continue.

"I know it hasn't been long, since I met you, but I never felt this way with my ex husband. I've been with him for years, and had never felt as connected to him as I do to you."

Misty placed her mug down on the small table beside her, and reached over to grab Cordelia's hand. "I never felt this way for anyone before" Misty said, and then continued, "I didn't know loving could feel this good, this easy."

"Are you- I don't know...afraid, I guess. After your life back at home?"

"I wouldn't really call that my home. My home is ya and April. I can't be afraid at home. Home is a safe place. And after seeing how ya treat April, i'm not worrying about a thing" Misty assured.

The moonlight shined onto Cordelia's hand as she cupped Misty's porcelain cheek. She shifted her face closer, and then soon placed her lips against Misty's.

It was their first kiss since this morning, and god did she miss Misty's lip's. She was desperate.

She pulled the swamp witch closer, and closer, and closer, until she was straddling Cordelia’s lap. The older woman tilted her head back and groaned when Misty started to kiss all over her neck.

When all of a sudden they heard a quiet, sleepy voice, "Mama?"

Misty immediately jumped off of Cordelia, and into her previous position. Cordelia cleared her throat and struggled to act like nothing was going on. Though, the supremes lipstick was smeared all over the lower part of Misty's face.

"Yes, baby. What are ya doin' up?" The girl walked closer, and held her new stuffed alligator close to her chest. She rubbed her tired eyes that were puffy from sleep.

"I woke up and I was all alone."

"Oh, 'm so sorry, baby. Delia and I were just out here talking. Come sit with us until you fall asleep, okay?" Misty patted her lap, and April climbed onto her. The little girl's head made it’s home on her mother's chest.

"Why were ya kissin' Miss Delia?" April asked through a yawn.

Misty stilled. She didn't think her daughter entirely understood love just yet. She was young, and lived a mostly secluded life. The most she had gotten was her mother's motherly love. She had hardly witness anyone together in a romantic way, rather than platonic.

The swamp witch looked over at Cordelia for consent to tell April. She wouldn't if she wasn't ready. But, Cordelia agreed with a nod of her head. She didn't mind at all.

"Remember how I told ya that two people fall in love sometimes, like a mommy and daddy?" April nodded, her thumb resting in her mouth.

Then Misty continued, "well, Delia and I love each other very much. We love each other just like a...mommy and mama."

"So Miss Delia's my mommy?"

"Well..." she could see Cordelia smiling, see that she was completely okay with this. "Yes, Miss Delia is your mommy."

The girl then lifted her heavy head, and blinked a few times to clear the sleepiness from her eyes. "I love ya, mommy...and mama" the girl said, and shifted her body so her head was laid on Cordelia's lap, legs against Misty's.

"I love you too, honey. I love both of you very much,” was the supremes response.

Cordelia looked down, her ring that Misty had previously gave her, glimmered in the moonlight. She used that same hand to run her fingers though the little girls blonde hair as she dozed back off to dreamland.

Misty rested her head on Cordelia's shoulder, after she kissed it. "I love you too, my darlin's."

Her two darlin's for the rest of forever.

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ts4ritsa · 2 years

Note

hello, welcome to tumblr. may I request a hunter x human!reader oneshot where s2 ended? the two going to y/ns house and reconnecting with earth

✧ hunter oneshot :

after kings tide, y/n finds herself back at home. home sweet home… except now she has a witch bf to look after lol (gn reader)

3rd person POV

After being thrown back in to the human realm, the gang was left speechless and mortified. All their families— friends, lovers etc., were all in danger. And this time, there was nothing they could do about it. It took them all a while to recollect themselves after realizing that. Luz told everyone she would be going to her house, to see her mom again, and Vee. She obviously hinted that they all were welcome to follow her, and so they began walking. As for Y/N, they were debating on going back to their own home. The group understood how their friend was feeling and Luz herself wouldn’t mind if they ended up wanting to stay with her for a while.

Y/N wasn’t necessarily scared of going home because of their relationships with their family, no. It was because they didn’t know how to explain any of this to them. They disappeared without a trace, and had no way of contacting them ever since the portal was destroyed. Until now. Maybe they would get it? Probably not. Hopefully though. At least, they were pretty sure they’d welcome them with open arms.

“Hey, are you okay?” their boyfriend, Hunter asked. He was concerned for his lover, who, honestly, looked like they were about to pass out. Y/N snapped out of their thinking and took a second to nod at his question.

“Let’s go.” Y/N said, making up their mind.

Hunter obliged and the two began walking home. Home. Y/N was still pretty nervous, and Hunter could see that. He brushed his hand against theirs, and Y/N reluctantly took it. Hunter softly smiled as Y/N stared at the ground. He was looking at the other nearby houses, how nicely he thought they were decorated.

And so, Y/N and Hunter stood in front of the house they were looking for. Y/N could see their family through the windows. They were having dinner and talking about something. Y/N missed this, and they would hopefully get it back now. They walked towards the front door, and knocked. The two could hear a chair move against the ground and someone beginning to walk to the door.

And so, the door opened. It was Y/N’s mother. She gasped and just stared at her child. Teary eyed, her child says something to her. “Hi, mom.” Y/N’s mom immediately went in for a hug. After a few seconds of a tight embrace, she looked at the dude next to them. She raised and eyebrow and slightly dragged Y/N aside. “Who’s this?” she asked.

Y/N realized she was referring to Hunter and chuckled. “Oh, um, that’s…” they paused. “…my boyfriend, Hunter.” they stated. Y/N’s mom just stared at them. “Um, what? You disappear for months and then come back with a boyfriend? Explain yourself.” she demanded. Y/N sighed and scratched their head. “I will, just let me clean up.” Their mom just hummed and let them in, except glaring at Hunter a bit threateningly before letting him in as well. Hunter just gulped and followed along.

The rest of Y/N’s family heard all the noise and when they saw Y/N there, you bet they immediately attacked them with warm hugs and millions of questions. And they all stared suspiciously at Hunter, who was literally right next to Y/N and smiling nervously the whole time. Y/N just laughed when they noticed and told their family to lay off on him.

So after sitting down in the living room and getting comfy, Y/N told their family members everything. How it all started, how they almost died, who helped them survive and stay happy, and what just went down. At first, they were so confused, and thought this was silly. But after seeing how gloomy and scared Y/N looked talking about what just happened, they believed her.

Hunter’s ears were also enough proof for them. At first they thought it was a birth defect or something, but then they realized it was because of magic. Weird. But anyway, they promised they would support and help Y/N all the way. But they also suggested that they should at least stay and bond with the family again, for a little bit. Y/N respectfully didn’t respond to that. She kinda needed to fix everything as soon as possible but she didn’t wanna crush them. Then Y/N asked if Hunter could stay with them, in their room.

Y/N’s parents just stared at them. They asked so casually too, which insulted them for even considering it. They were about to say something but Y/N’s siblings gave them a thumbs up and pushed their parents aside. So it was settled.

They spent another hour catching up and eating. Hunter went to go take a shower and Y/N was getting comfy in their old bedroom again. When Hunter was finished, Y/N went to go take one as well. Before they did, Y/N brushed Hunter’s wet hair off his face and giggled. Hunter was confused and blushed a bit. Y/N giggled even more and nudged against him before going to shower.

Hunter sighed and softly smiled at his dear’s antics.

A while later, they were all dried up and ready to go to bed. Y/N yawned and noticed they got a text message from… Luz! She was asking if they were okay and if they could meet up tomorrow at the nearby park. Y/N replied with a yes to both questions and said good night ‘cause they were extremely tired. Luz sent a smiley face emoji and said good night as well.

Y/N put the phone down and got nice and comfy in their bed. Hunter joined in after a few minutes and almost immediately fell asleep when he felt Y/N snuggle up against him. He looked down to see them sleeping soundly right beside him.

Hunter smiled warmly and gingerly held his significant other as he fell fast asleep.

a/n: thanks anon ily 🫶 hope u liked it cuz i sure didnt

#reblogs are highly appreciated #the owl house #the owl house x reader #hunter x reader #hunter toh x reader #hunter the golden guard #hunter the owl house #hunter toh #hunter #this is old #and i dont like it

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sergeantsporks · 2 years

Text

Gilded Family

Rating: Teen and Up, Gen

Ch 6 /?: Protection

Ch 1, Ch 2, Ch 3, Ch 4, Ch 5

In which none of the previous golden guards or wittebro died, actually, they're all fine and living happily together as one big dysfunctional family

Ao3

Hunter and Cyrus both waited outside of Venari’s room. Cyrus kept twisting and combing his forelock, and Hunter’s foot couldn’t stop tapping. Finally, finally, the door opened, and Mrs. Wittebane brushed past them, holding a couple of bowls. “They’ll live. The venom is being neutralized. Leave them to rest, they still have a rough road ahead.”

She walked off to the kitchen, and Hunter caught Cyrus’ arms as his legs wobbled and he fell. “Hey—whoa!”

“They’ll live,” Cyrus said in a half daze, “They’re going to be okay.”

Mrs. Wittebane came back, gesturing for the two of them to follow her to Matt’s room. “How’s the patient?”

“Dying,” Matt replied weakly.

“He’ll be fine,” Auric responded, “I cleaned and stitched up the wounds, and I put a salve on it to prevent infection. He’s weak from blood loss right now, but I gave him some painkillers, so he’s feeling better. Just a little woozy.”

His hand went up to his scarred throat, and Mrs. Wittebane nudged him. “Do you need some of those painkillers?”

“Maybe. I’ll be okay. Thank you.”

“Thank you for taking care of him, it means a lot.”

Auric flushed and left the room. Mrs. Wittebane took a deep breath and then faced the three of them. “What were you thinking?!”

“We couldn’t let Venari die!” Matt protested.

“So you nearly get yourself killed instead? Oh, yes. This sounds like a most excellent plan.” Mrs. Wittebane inhaled deeply again. “Matt could have gotten killed. Any of you could have been killed.”

“We’re used to it,” Cyrus piped up, “We’re used to this, we wouldn’t have gotten seriously hurt. It looks bad, but we would have been okay, we always are.”

“Things are supposed to be different here! You don’t need to go on dangerous missions to prove yourselves! We don’t want you going on dangerous missions! You spent so long being a guard, please, just… let someone else do the protecting for once. Trust us to do that. You’re adults. You can make your own decisions. But you’re also a part of this family, and while you might not like every decision Caleb and I make, we make those decisions to keep you safe.”

“That’s what Belos would say,” Hunter said softly.

She froze for just a moment then shook her head, staring at him with steely golden eyes. “Caleb is afraid of being like his brother. He’s afraid that he’ll become another Belos for you, it haunts his every moment. He’ll let you get away with anything short of murder with nothing but a gentle rebuke. I’m not Caleb.”

She took a step closer to him, and for the first time since arriving, Hunter actually felt nervous, started to wonder if maybe there was some truth behind what Belos had always said about wild witches. “We make hard choices to protect you,” she said softly, “I know Belos said the same. The difference between Belos and us is that we mean it. I don’t know how to convince you of that, except to tell you to watch. To try to see the difference. And if you can’t, well… maybe we aren’t doing as good a job as we think. But I think asking you to stay inside when there’s a dangerous demon with venom that we don’t have an antidote for is reasonable.”

Hunter heard the clearing of a throat from behind him, and he turned to see Cherry, holding his hands behind his back. “I’m sorry,” he said shortly.

“It wasn’t his fault,” Hunter interjected, “I snuck past him, I—”

Cherry shot him a look. “No, he didn’t. I let him go. I judged that I thought he could handle it, and that it would be worse for him to be cooped up in the house unable to help.” He turned a confused eye on Matt and Cyrus. “I don’t know how they got out.”

“Oh, no, we did sneak out,” Matt volunteered, “We went through your window.”

“Through my—ahhh.” Cherry made a frustrated noise in the back of his throat. “I should have thought of that.” He turned back to Mrs. Wittebane. “I take full responsibility for Hunter leaving. I should have stopped him.”

She bit her lip, then squared her shoulders. “You thought it would be worse for him to be here?”

Cherry nodded. “He hasn’t been here for long. All of us had that… need to be useful at the beginning. Or still do. I shouldn’t have let him scratch that itch by going into a dangerous situation, though, and I’m sorry.”

Mrs. Wittebane sighed. “Ah.” She turned back to Hunter, her eyes seeming to sum him up and analyze him in quick glances. “If you needed something to do to help—” she turned so that Cyrus and Matt were in her line of sight, too. “If you’re feeling antsy about something, please, tell us. We figured Meleager would need something to help with, that’s why he went to town instead of Hamlet or Horus, but it didn’t occur to me that…”

“I didn’t just want to do something like getting clean water,” Cyrus said softly, “I had to save him, I had to—”

The front door opened with a wham. “Got it!” Wittebane’s voice called, “Sweetheart, we found it, thanks to the boys, Venari’s gonna be… oh? What’s going on?”

Mrs. Wittebane stuck her head out the door. “We got the venom,” she told him, “I made an antidote.” She scooped the bottle out of his hands, giving him a peck on the cheek. “But this is good to have on hand, in case there was a nest, or this demon is starting a migration pattern through the area.”

“How did you…?”

“Some of the boys snuck out. It’s been dealt with.”

Cyrus shuffled his feet, and Cherry gave Hunter a small smile. “I told you Dad would get it. You should have put a little more faith in him.” He nudged Hunter’s shoulder with his own. “You can trust them. I promise. They really do want to keep us safe.”

“Then what’s in that room no one ever goes into?” Hunter demanded, “What are they hiding from us?”

Hunter heard a collective hiss from the Grimwalkers in the room. Cherry shrugged. “It’s just an empty bedroom. No one lives there.”

Hunter through his hands up. “Why? Who used to live there? What happened to them?!”

“We… we almost had a sister.”

A chill ran down Hunter’s spine. “Almost?! What happened to her?!”

What aren’t you telling me?!

“It happened a long time ago,” Cherry brushed him off, “We don’t talk about it because it upsets Mole. And it makes Mom and Dad sad.”

“Okay, well, can I at least know the story?! Mole was the first Grimwalker, right? You had to hear it from somewhere!”

Cherry nodded. “Dad.”

“Mom,” Cyrus said softly.

“Dad for me, too,” Matt piped up, “It’s their story to tell, not ours.”

Cherry caught Hunter’s arm as he started to leave. “Hunter, don’t… don’t ask them about it just right now, okay? Not after we almost lost Venari. Wait for the right time.”

“And when’s that gonna be?”

“When you stop seeing everything as a threat?” Matt suggested, “No one here is out to get you. Sometimes people close doors for privacy. Not because they’re plotting behind them.”

“The story behind that door isn’t a threat,” Cyrus said softly, “Ask when it’s because you want to understand our parents because you care about them, not because you’re trying to figure out if they have some ulterior motive, whether they’re a danger to you. I promise you that nothing behind that door will hurt you. So please… wait until your head’s in the right space before you ask them.”

Cherry slowly let his arm down. “We want to protect them as much as they want to protect us, from physical and emotional harm. Can you believe us?”

Forget about it until my ‘head’s in the right space?’

I guess it sometimes does hurt to talk about things.

And no one likes being accused of something.

“Yeah. Okay. I believe you.”

#toh #the owl house #gilded family au #the golden guard #toh fanfiction #my writing

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justaself-shipper · 3 years

Text

Golden Guard x Reader- True Colours

A/N: I wanted to get back into the swing of things before redoing the requests. There may or may not be a few Amphibia references in here…since i watched it quite recently... Spoilers for Hunting Palisman. Also anyone get the reference of the title?

Being in the Emperor’s Coven wasn’t easy. From battling monsters and demons to rogue witches and a certain human, I was surprised I was still alive. A regular guard was just a pawn for the Emperor. Yet, I had no choice, since my parents had already planned my future while I was still young. I wanted to make them proud, and I really did try. But it seems like being a normal guard in the Emperor’s Coven wasn’t enough. I needed to go bigger, eliminate anyone in my way if I had to. I was going to do it for them, and for my lost Palisman, Froggit. (IT WAS THE ONLY THING THAT CAME TO MIND-) Standing at attention, I watched all the servants and guards walk by. I was assigned outside the Throne room today. Kikimori happened to be walking by as the door opened. She gasped. “Golden Guard?! You’re alive! I heard about the crash-“ The “Golden Guard” came into view. He greeted Kiki, and I had the time to observe him. He was about my age, with blonde hair, red eyes, and a scar on his right cheek. As he walked away from Kikimori, he looked my way. I hadn’t realised I had turned to face them. Quickly standing to attention, I stiffened as he stopped in front of me. “Sir.” I saluted. He raised an eye-brow, looking at my badge. (Ima just pretend the badges have names engraved into them in small lettering or something). “Haven’t seen you around here much. When did you join the Emperor’s Coven?” He asked casually. I glared through my mask. “Two weeks ago, sir.” I replied, trying my best to keep my voice calm. He smiled. “Well, miss ‘Y/N’, it’s nice to meet you. The names Hunter.” I didn’t reply back. After a few minutes of silence, he sighs. “Welp, I better be going. See you around.” As he walked away, I let my shoulders relax a bit. Glaring after him, I watched him disappear. So, a higher rank, right? Well, we’ll see about that. Don’t try to chit-chat me, Hunter. You’re nothing but a rival. Later that evening… I let out a yawn. It was late, and I was the only guard patrolling this side of the castle. Lifting my mask to rub my tired eyes, I heard a loud bang, followed by yelp of pain. “Palisman!” Someone hissed. Pulling my mask back down, I held my staff out. “COME OUT! I KNOW YOU’RE THERE!” I yelled out. There was nothing but silence. Turning a corner, I caught someone running away, carrying something. “Hey!” I gave chase, following the intruder down the corridors. As I ran, I realised they seemed to know exactly where they were going. Running by halls that lead to dead ends, and avoiding doors that entered into closed off rooms. Using my staff, I sped up, running in front of the witch. He came to a stop, almost tripping. Holding out my staff, I was about to zap him, when I realised it was Hunter. A small, red bird Palisman sat on his shoulder. I smirked under my mask. Hiding a Palisman? One that has wild magic? This was treason. Oh, Emperor Belos is going to love this. “You stay here.” I stated, using a spell to keep him in place. As he struggled, I began to walk off. If he’d been keeping a wild Palisman, who knew what he could do with it. Best to retrieve back-up, and quickly. As I turned my back, he yelled out to me. “Wait! Don’t tell Belos!” Ignoring him, I continued. “I know what he does to them! He kills them!” Stopping, I turned back to the Golden Guard. “What do you mean by that?” I questioned cautiously. Hunter closed his eyes, letting out a sigh. “Emperor Belos isn’t a witch. I don’t know what he is, or what happened to him. All I know is that he uses the magic in the Palismans to keep himself powerful and in a stable condition.” My mind went to Froggit, my Palisman before I joined the Coven. He went missing as soon as I joined…he couldn’t have… “Y-you’re lying, aren’t you?” I growled. The Palisman sitting on his shoulder chirped. After a moment of silence, I released the Golden guard. Turnng my back to him once again, I growled under my breath. “Get out of here before I change my mind.” Hunter didn’t need to be asked twice. Making sure the Palisman wasn’t hurt, he left, returning to his dorm. About an hour later, another guard took over my shift. Rushing back to my dorm, I leaned against the door. It couldn’t be true. Emperor Belos would never hurt my Palisman, would he? I let out a shaky breath. He couldn’t have…right? Finishing up my carving, I stared lovingly at the Frog as I held it up to the sunlight. “And done! Welcome to the world little buddy!” I whispered, blowing the flakes away. Smiling widely, I placed the wooden frog on my bedside table. All I had to do now was wait. He should wake up in a few minutes. Leaning back on my bed, I picked up my book, looking at all the human creatures inside. I loved looking at all the pictures, and even chose one as my Palisman. There were so many amazing creatures, for awhile I couldn’t pick. I had finally settled for a “frog”, since they sounded so amazing. Hearing a croak, I looked up from my book. My new Palisman had woken up, and was crawling around and curiously peering at the objects on my bed stand. “Hey there little guy.” I cooed, picking him up. He let out another croak. “Welcome to the Boiling Isles! You’re so cute!” He tilted his head curiously in my direction, letting out another excited croak. Giggling, I gently pet him. “I’ll keep you safe Froggit. I won’t let anything bad happen to you.” I jolted awake, rubbing my teary eyes as I sat up. Silent sobs threatened to erupt from my throat. Taking a few minutes to calm myself, I inhaled slowly. This wasn’t a coincidence, wasn’t it? Froggit was gone, and I had failed to protect him. He had probably died a horrible death, scared and all alone. Checking the window, I noticed the sun was rising. I had to get ready for today. As I stood up, I felt my stomach squirm in guilt. Looking around my room, i grabbed a satchel, collecting things and preparing. I had to get out of here. I was NOT going to work with a Coven that murdered my Palisman, no matter what my parents say. I would have failed them, but nothing was worse than knowing I had failed my Palisman, my only friend. A loud knock came from the door. Looking up, I stared hard at the door. Who could that be? I’m not late for something, am I? The knocking came again. Walking over, I opened the door to find Kikimori there. She seemed to be glaring daggers into my soul, even though she was way shorter than me. “The Emperor wants to speak with you immediately.” She stated, walking away. Why does the Emperor want to see me? I took off my mask as I stood in front of the throne room. My knees shook thinking over the things the Golden Guard had said the night previously. The Emperor wasn’t who I thought he was, and that thought alone terrified me. Clutching my mask, I opened the doors. Mutterings were coming from the other side of the room as I entered. Walking along the corridor, I took note that a few guards, as well as the Golden Guard and Emperor Belos were in the room. Belos was talking to the Golden Guard, but stopped when I entered. I bowed down to the Emperor, as I felt his eyes bare into my soul. “You must be Y/N L/N, right? Hunter has told me so much about you.” He stated. I bowed my head, keeping an eye on Hunter. He seemed to be distracted, since he didn’t seem to be paying attention to us. “He’s told me of all your hard work so far, and that you’re trust worthy. So, I have made up my mind.” He stood up, grabbing onto his staff. What was he doing? “You’ve been moved up to Captain of the guards, since ours has…retired. How does that sound?” Shocked, I glanced up to Hunter. His eyes were averted, refusing to look at me. “I-it’s an honour, my lord…” I stuttered. “B-but, I-i’m just a humble guard, there’s no need to put me as Captain so soon-“ I was cut off as something headed my way, barely missing me by a hair. I stiffened, following the pointed object toward the Emperor. It was….his…arm…. He took the object away. “I'm afraid you don’t have a choice in this matter. Your first mission starts tonight. You’ll be accompanied by Hunter. You’ll be given your badge in the morning.” He waves his hand, signifying I could leave. I nodded. “Y-yes, my Lord.” With that, I placed my helmet back on, walking briskly out of the room. Opening the door, I jumped a little when Kikimori was waiting on the other side. She said nothing, just simply glared at me then left. After watching her disappear around the corner, I let out an angry sigh. What was I gonna do? Later that night…. The Golden Guard was standing beside me, steering the ship we flew in. There was an awkward silence for the first 10 minutes of the flight, with both of us avoiding eye contact. Apparently, we were meant to be looking for Palismans. “So…everything you said the other night was true.” I mumbled. The Golden guard hummed in response. “Unfortunately, yes.” Another silence ensured. “I wasn’t expecting him to make you Captain. I just wanted to help you out a bit, since you helped me. I’m sorry if it wasn’t what you wanted…” I let out a sigh. “It’s fine." That’s when he turned to me. His eyes were filled with sympathy. “I’m also sorry about your Palisman…” I whipped around to face him. “How-“ “It’s not hard. Everyone has a Palisman when they first arrive. They disappear after the first week, and given a “new and improved” staff. It’s becoming more common. Only a few are allowed to keep their Palismans.” He stated, his brows furrowing as his gaze returned to the horizon. “You seem to know a fair bit.” I said. He shrugged. “One of the few perks of being the Emperor’s right-hand man.” I nodded understandingly. Being right-hand man couldn’t have been easy. There would’ve been many people trying to back-stab him. I WAS one of them.

“…what was it like? Your Palisman?” He asked curiously. I smiled under my mask. “He was my best friend. A lot of people questioned why I chose a monster from the human realm, but it didn’t matter. I loved him almost like my own child…” I felt the tears threatening to overflow once again. Hunter smiled. “He sounded nice.” I looked over to him curiously. “You say that as if you’ve never had a Palisman.” His eyes widened, before he turned his face away from me. “…this Palisman is actually my first. I didn’t do well in school, so I never achieved my staff.” Was all he replied. Great. Now I felt bad. “I’m sorry…" He chuckled. “It’s alright. There wasn’t a chance you could’ve known.” Letting out a sigh, I took my mask off. What was the point of hiding my face while meeting a new friend? Letting my hair fall down, I hear Hunter let out a small gasp. I raise an eyebrow, turning my gaze to him. His eyes were wide open, staring at me. “What are you looking at?” “You…you’re beautiful…” My own eyes widened, and I felt my cheeks heat up. Hunter realised that he said it out loud, and his own face lit up. “I-i’m so sorry! I-“ “Just be quiet.” I growled, turning away so then Hunter wouldn’t see me. The ship shook, and I felt it begin to fall rapidly toward the ground. I watched in terror as the ground came closer, and I blacked out as we hit the ground. “Hey! Y/n, wake up!” Someone hissed quietly.

I let out a groan as I opened my tired eyes. Hunter was gently shaking me, looking around frantically at his surroundings. “W-what happened?” I grumbled, sitting up. Hunter clasped a hand over my mouth. I was about to object, when he pointed to a certain short monster on the other side of the rocks. It was Kikimori, and she did not look happy. She seemed to be carrying a stone. I recognised it from history books. They made the possessor stronger. “I KNOW YOU’RE HERE GOLDEN GUARD! AND I KNOW WHAT YOU DID THE OTHER NIGHT!” She shrieked. My brows furrowed, looking toward Hunter. “What is she talking about?” I hissed. He reached for his broken staff. I hadn’t noticed that before. “I’ll explain later. Right now, we need to get out of here.” He whispered back. Without warning, he grabbed my hand, leading me away from the angry monster. Once we were far enough away, I pulled my hand free from his. “What the hex was that about?!” I yelled. Hunter let out a sigh. “Look, the other night I was assigned to collect Palismans. I told my Uncle that I had failed, but the real reason was that I let them go. Kiki and the human Luz was involved and…things just got out of hand.” He was looking down at his feet. “If I told him what had really happened, then he would kill both of us…” I listened carefully. When he was finished, I smiled softly. ‘Hey…you did the right thing.” I said, placing a hand on his shoulder. Surprised for a moment, Hunter smiled. “So, what are we gonna do? We can’t tell your Uncle we failed to retrieve them again. He’d find out for sure.” I said. Hunter thought for a moment, before a smirk crossed his features. “Not unless we disappeared.” I stared blankly at him for a moment. What did he mean by that? “What do you mean?” “Alright, this is the plan.” Waiting outside the castle, I tapped my foot impatiently. Hunter had gone into the castle to retrieve his Palisman, leaving me outside to wait. It had been 10 minutes already. Shouldn’t he be back by now? Something must’ve happened. Letting out a growl, I clutched my staff, heading inside. Once inside, I passed a few of the guards. None tried stopping me, just giving a nod as I passed by. They took note of my badge it seemed. As I walked pass the throne room, I halted when I heard a cry of pain come from within. “NO, PLEASE! DON’T HURT HIM!” That was Hunter. Rushing over, I swung the doors open. There was Hunter, being held by two guards. Kikimori held his Palisman, about to hand it over to Emperor Belos. Everyone stopped what they were doing when I entered, turning to face me. Emperor Belos was the only one to recognise me. “Ah, Y/n! A nice surprise! No need for any assistance. You see, Hunter here has been keeping secrets from us.” He stated gesturing to Hunter. “But Kikimori has saved us by warning us of his treason. He’ll be thrown into the dungeon shortly, and this…Palisman will be dealt with.” At that, Kikimori was about to hand the Palisman to the Emperor. Rage filled me, and before I realised what I was doing, I had sent a spell their way. The Palisman was thrown from Kikimori’s hands, falling to the ground out of reach. Everyone let out a gasp. Tears overflowed from my eyes as rage coursed through me. “No one else’s Palisman’s are getting hurt under my watch.” I growled. Belos straightened his posture. “I see. You’re a traitor to our kind. Guards, get her!” He yelled. The guards holding Hunter let him go, charging toward me. Using my staff, I quickly defeated them, swinging my staff against their skulls. Both fell unconscious. Without thinking, I charged Belos. He killed my Palisman. Before my staff made contact with him, he used his own magic to throw me against the wall. Yelping in pain, I stumbled to my feet. My vision was still blurry from the impact, hence why I didn’t see Belos walking towards me. I was pushed back against the wall. Something was piercing into my neck, and I realised it was the Emperor’s staff. “You’ll have the same fate as your Palisman.” He hissed. Choking for air, my vision was getting darker and darker as I stared murderously into Belos’ eyes. I finally felt myself drop to the ground, the Emperor letting out a groan of pain as he was attacked from the side. Strong hands lifted me up, helping me limp away from the scene. Hunter got his Palisman ready, ordering me to get on. Doing so, I left my staff lying on the ground, clutching his waist tightly as we escaped the castle. I buried my face in Hunters shoulder as we flew over the Boiling Isles. Neither of us had spoken for a while, and honestly I was too shocked. Finally, Hunter spoke up. “Thank you for that. That was very courageous of you to stand up to him. Are you ok?” “Y-yeah, I’m ok…where are we going? Do you have a place in mind?” I asked, looking down at our surroundings. We were near Bones Marrow (was that what it was called?), and I curious if he had a destination. Hunter smiles at my question. “I have a friend nearby. We’ll seek shelter there if she’ll allow it.” With that, he neared the forest floor, landing quietly in the bushes. I looked up at the building in front of us. I knew this place, although I’d never been to it myself. This was the Owl House, home of one of the most powerful witches on the Isle, Eda the Owl lady. Well, WAS the most powerful. Hunter walked up the doorstep, and was about to knock when a large owl tube on the door spoke up, startling both of us. “OOH VISITORS! FROM THE EMPEROR COVEN TOO! HAVE YOU COME HERE TO BE MY FRIEND?!” The door opened, revealing Luz the human. Her smile lit up when she realised it was Hunter. “Hunter! Hi! What are you doing here? And who’s your friend? You aren’t…here to arrest me, are you?” She asked suspiciously, closing the door ajar as she squinted her eyes. I almost laughed at how childish she was. “No, sorry to disappoint. Me and my friend were going to ask if we could stay for awhile? We…kinda left the coven.” Hunter said, gesturing to himself and I. I gave a little wave. Luz’s eyes widened in surprise, her smile returning. “Of course! Come in! We have…room for two more!” Opening the door, she let us inside. Hunter stepped in first, but was stopped by an ice wall. He let out a yelp of surprise, and Luz was yelling at someone. “Lillith! Be nice!” Lillith? Where have I heard that name? It clicked when I caught sight of her. There, in what I assumed to be human clothes, stood Lillith, my role model ever since I was a small witchling. I almost jumped up and down in excitement, if it wasn’t for the shock of the ice bars between us. “Human! This is the Golden Guard! We can’t let him in here! What if it’s a trick?!” Lillith shrieked. Luz tried to calm her down, explaining that he’d changed. Another woman stepped into the room, followed by a small demon with a skull on his head. “Alright, what’s going on here?” She muttered. Luz sighed in relief. “Oh thank god you’re here, Eda. My friends need a place to stay, and-“ Eda? Lillith cut her off. “HE’S THE GOLDEN GUARD! It could be a trap!” She screamed, gesturing to the two of us. Hunter didn’t say anything, just let out a nervous chuckle. Eda only stared at us tiredly. “…..if it’s a trap we won’t hesitate to knock em’ out cold. Just let em in.” She grumbled, sitting on the couch as she drank something from out of a cup. Lillith stuttered indignantly, while Luz used what I assumed a random piece of paper to create fire. Melting the bars, she let the two of us inside.

A few minutes later, Hunter and I were sitting beside each other on two chairs, while Lillith, Luz, and Eda were sitting on the couch. He had just finished explaining what had happened with Emperor Belos mere hours before. Lillith had her arms crossed, staring at us suspiciously, while Eda was peacefully sipping at her apple-blood. Luz was holding the little demon, who I found out was named King. Luz spoke up first. “So…now you’re wanted criminals?” She asked, concerned. Hunter pat his Palisman. “It would appear so.” He muttered. Lillith didn’t say anything, but it was obvious from her body language she didn’t trust us. Eda the owl lady smiled comfortingly. “Well, I guess an enemy to Belos is a friend of mine. Welcome to the Owl House kids.” She chuckled. “Thank you.” I replied. Luz pointed accusingly at me. “AHA! YOU DO SPEAK!” She yelled. I chuckled. “So what’s your name, kid?” Eda asked. “I’m Y/n. Nice to meet you all. Especially you Lillith!” She turned to me, raising a brow. “Why’s that, witchling?” “You’ve always been a role-model for me! I feel so honoured meeting you in person!” I said, my smile brightening to finally have an opportunity to speak to my hero. Lillith smiled. “Thank you, witchling.” A few weeks later… Hunter and I had officially moved into the Owl House. It was a bit crowded but it became our home. Eda was teaching Hunter how to take care of his Palisman, plus how to use and treat it. I on the other hand, began to classes with Lillith and Luz, learning how to master glyphs. Sure, I still had my powers, but in case of emergencies I wanted to learn about these strange little symbols. We had become wanted criminals that day, and our wanted posters were stuck up all over the Boiling Isles. I felt a light tap on my shoulder. Turning around, I realised it was Hunter. “Hey Y/n, I have a surprise for you.” He said, grabbing my hand and leading me away from the Owl house. Dragging me through town, we snuck by many wanted posters of us. He finally stopped outside of Hexside, a school I had once attended before joining the Emperor’s Coven. Knocking on the door, Principal Bump opened. “Ah, good you’re here! Just in time too!” He whispered, taking down another poster that was stuck to his door. He smiled down at the two of us. “Good to see you again Y/n. Come this way!” Leading us onto the Grudgby field, I noticed Eda was standing beside a large, wooden stump. She walked over to us excitedly. “Y/n! Hunter had told us what had happened to your Palisman, so Bumpy, Hunter and I decided to give you a little surprise. I introduce to you…” The Bat Queen flew down, landing on the stump and opening the door. Many Palismans with cracks ran out, looking around curiously. “To the Palismans! These little guys need a good home again, and one lucky one may pick you.” My eyes widened in awe, as I clasped my hands over my mouth. Tears pricked at the corners of my eyes as I hugged Hunter, who was standing beside me. “THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!” I cried. Realising what I was doing, my face heated up, and I immediately let go, looking away in embarrassment. He did the same, scratching his neck as a pink flush covered his cheeks. Eda chuckled at our interaction. “Alright. All you gotta do is kneel down, say a goal you want to achieve and one should choose you.” She stated. I grinned as I knelt down, looking at all the cute Palismans scuttling about. “I want a powerful Palisman to help protect those I care about.” I said. One Palisman began to glow. It looked like a lizard from the human realm, but with a scorpion tail and sharp claws. I held out my hands as it turned into a staff, landing gently in my hands as the Palisman happily growled. My grin widened as I looked excitedly back at Hunter, hugging the Palisman close. Everything was going to be ok now.

A/N: HOLY CRAP FINISHING THIS I REALISED IT PRETTY MUCH TURNED INTO A FULL BLOWN NOVEL-

#golden guard #hunter #toh #the owl house #spoilers #the owl house season 2 #self insert #golden guard x reader #hunter x reader #x reader #reader included #reader #toh s2

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rere-the-writer · 3 years

Text

Title- 'Running from a good thing.'

Warnings: Fluff, Angst, Soft!Mikaelson

Pairings- Elijah Mikaelson x F!Reader x Rebekah Mikaelson

Summary- You left one stormy night hiding a secret after Hayley talked to you leaving both Elijah and Rebekah heart broken looking for you. You were now with two hunter brothers that saved you from a nest of vampires.

'They will never believe you. They won't accept it like they did Hope.'

Hayley's words rang in your head as you quickly packed, tears fell from your eyes. It hurt, the thought of leaving Rebekah and Elijah but Hayley was so sure in what she told you.

'You saw how Klaus reacted when I was pregnant with Hope. Whose to say they would be just as understanding?'

You didn't know where you could go, you couldn't return to Mystic Falls as you left behind your friends for Rebekah and Elijah. You went to New Orleans with them finding hard to live without the Originals.

When you stared dating the two Originals when they both showed interest in you, the orphan girl that Zach Salvatore took in. Elijah had informed you that it wasn't the first time the siblings shared lovers. You knew even if you went back to Mystic Falls that would be the first place they'll look.

"Lebanon, Kansas."

When the Mikaelsons came home, Rebekah rushed up to you as Elijah groaned tired sinking into the couch waiting for Rebekah to come down with you.

"Y/N is gone!" Elijah sat up all tiredness he felt went away as he joined Klaus and Kol who was looking up at Rebekah.

"Are you sure she didn't go out with Camille and Davina?"

"No Kol....her clothes are gone as if she packed up." Rebekah said as Elijah rushed up to your bedroom frowning as Hayley walked in carrying Hope on her hip.

"What's going on?"

"Y/N is gone." Klaus answered her as he and Kol watched her closely as they knew Hayley was in love with Elijah and knew how she felt about you.

"Oh yeah, she said something about a trip with old friends." Hayley said lying smoothly as Elijah frowned looking at Hayley.

"Impossible. Y/N always tells me and Rebekah if she has plans."

"Elijah, the last time she ran off like this was when her brothers learned of the relationship."

"Meaning something is wrong and she believes we wouldn't understand." Elijah said frowning as worry racked his body and Rebekah hugged Elijah hoping you were okay. Kol called Davina and Freya to come do a locater spell to find you.

A year passed since you left New Orleans and now settled with two hunters and their Angel after saving you from a nest of vampires. You missed your vampire lovers but Hayley's words would rang in your head everytime you thought of calling or going back.

"Y/N, Erik. We're home!" You heard Dean call out and you picked up the baby boy walking out smiling at Sam and Dean. Erik squealed seeing Sam reaching for the hunter who was happy to take the boy.

"Hey guys. Where's Cas?"

"Right here." Castiel said smiling at you as you hugged him. Castiel had been a huge help with Erik which Dean found to be adorably disgusting.

"How was the hunt?"

"Went by smoothly. On the way back we picked up on a new case in New Orleans." Dean said tossing Erik in the air making the baby laugh.

"Oh?" You said quietly you told the brothers about your past as to not hide anything. And to give you peace of mind they promised no big hunts in New Orleans unless needed.

"Look we know you said no hunts in New Orleans but a group of demons are up to something there."

"So Dean and I thought it would be good if you and Erik come with us. Get you both out of the bunker while we take out the demons."

"I don't know....."

"Come on. You can spoil Erik and the little guy can get some time out in the sun and fresh air."

"Okay. That sounds nice." You said giving in their puppy dog faces.

"I got dinner done by the way." You say getting cheers from Dean as Sam shook his head smiling.

The impala drove into New Orleans and you felt a bit of heart ache as the car stopped. You got out putting Erik in a baby carrier as Sam and Dean got out.

"We are going to go check out the crime scene. Here, enjoy the city we be back later to go out for dinner." Dean tells you as you nodded taking the money then watched the brothers drive off.

You walked around going to different shops as Erik babble holding your finger. A familiar face caught your attention and swallowed seeing it was Davina who smiled brightly seeing you as she jogged over.

"Y/N!? Where have you been? Rebekah and Elijah has been looking all over for you."

"Places.....humm." You said as you were unsure what to say as her eyes fell on the baby boy that looked awful like Elijah. Erik babble getting your attention as he looked at the new person.

"Y/N can you come with me?"

"De, I don't...."

"Please. I won't take you to the Abattoir. I just need to know something." Davina says as you nodded. You found yourself in Vincent's place having Erik standing in your lap bouncing. Erik was unbothered by Davina poking his finger with a needle to get his blood.

"Erik is Elijah's son."

"But how Vincent? Non of the witches did a spell for it nor did Freya." Davina tells Vincent who looked to you as you swallowed as they walked over.

"Y/N, do you know how you became pregnant?"

"No I don't....I didn't go to any witches nor did I go to Freya." You tell Vincent as Erik sat in your lap kicking his legs smiling.

"So that's why you left because of your pregnancy?"

"Yes. I'm sorry for causing trouble but I need to get going now." You say standing grabbing your bag rushing out the door as Vincent and Davina called your name.

"Y/N?" Kol whispered as you brushed pass him and Klaus both watching you hurrying away as Davina rushed out frowning seeing that you were gone.

"Davina?"

"We need to tell you something." Davina tells Klaus and Kol with a frown. You knew this was a bad idea but couldn't blame Sam and Dean as the brothers wanted what was best for you as you headed for the diner you all would meet up at.

"She had Elijah's son?!" Klaus said after calling an emergency family meeting as Vincent explained what was going on. Elijah sat in shock with Rebekah who was rubbing his hand.

"Y/N didn't tell us why?"

"That she didn't tell us." Davina says sighing as she recalls how nervous you were. Elijah stood fixing his suit jacket with unreadable look.

"Then let's find her and bring her home."

You sat in the diner with Sam and Dean talking and laughing as Dean was telling you what happened on the hunt. You were rubbing Erik's back as he slept with it being late.

"So you ran into an old friend?"

"Yeah....Davina and she most likely told everyone about Erik." You say softly looking down as Sam who was sitting next to you rubbing your back.

"Are you sure they wouldn't accept Erik? From what you told me and Sammy, Elijah and Rebekah loves you something fierce."

"Come on Dean. Hayley had a point, how would I explain that I was pregnant? They could accept Hope because they could explain it but Erik?"

"Yeah but you can find out how." Sam says taking a bite out of his salad as you blinked looking at him.

"How?"

You rocked Erik as he whimpered uncomfortable with being at a crossroads. Sam and Dean thought summoning Crowley to explain how you fell pregnant would help and of course Castiel stayed close to you and Erik not trusting demon.

"Hello moose and squirrel. Oh you brought the little rabbit." Crowley said smirking then it was wiped off his face when his eyes landed on Erik.

"You bought an Original's child with you? Are you kidding me?!" Crowley growled looking at the hunters with narrowed eyes.

"You know about Erik?"

"Yes I know about the boy! As any smart supernatural being would." Crowley says looking around nervous which made the brothers look at one another as it wasn't everyday the demon King was nervous.

"You okay there Crowley?"

"No I am not Winchester. You have both the mate of two Originals and his son so understandably I am on edge."

"Crowley. They are just vampires." Dean says as the look on Crowley's face was they hadn't seen before.

"They aren't just vampires Winchester. They could kill me without blinking these aren't like the ones you kill. They are one of the most feared beings."

"Are you serious?"

"Every. When we all heard that the son of Elijah Mikaelson had been born. Everyone knew to stay clear." Crowley said as you stepped forward after passing Erik to Castiel.

"Do you know how it was possible for me to get pregnant?"

"From my understanding there was a powerful witch that cast a spell then was killed. That is all I know." Crowley said disappearing leaving you all a bit confused.

Next morning Sam and Dean went out to see Benny who was out in the bayou asking if you wanted to join but you declined. You were walking with Erik in his baby carrier strapped to your chest as you walked though a witch's market.

"I found her Elijah." Marcel said after calling the Original when he saw you walking with bags in your hand of things for Erik.

"There she is." Rebekah breathed staring as you were looking at artists that were painting or drawing as Erik babbled smiling.

"There is your son Elijah." Klaus says as Elijah stared at the toddler strapped to you then to you. Both Rebekah and Elijah noted you had cut your hair and still had a bit of baby weight but you were still breathing taking beautiful to them.

They growled seeing a man show up next to you and how you smiled brightly at him and how the boy also smiled brightly at the man. The three Originals listen in on your conversation.

"You have bought a lot of things for Erik."

"Only the best for this little guy Cas." You tell Castiel as Erik let out an excited squeal making you look to see what he was staring at the got him all worked up. You stopped hold your breath seeing Elijah and Rebekah as both stared back.

"It seems he knows who his father is." Castiel commented as Erik was squealing reaching for the suit wearing Original.

"Yeah it seems so." You say swallowing watching they walking up to you. You had many emotions swirl in you and your heart began to ache seeing the soft look in their eyes.

You were soon back in the Abattoir holding Erik in your lap even though the boy was reaching for his father. It was just you, Rebekah and Elijah in the den as both Klaus and Kol let you three talk it out.

"Why did you run from us?" Rebekah asked she wasn't angry instead she sounded hurt, hurt that you didn't trust then enough to tell them about your pregnancy.

"Hayley said you wouldn't be as understanding as you were with her." You say softly looking away from them as in a flash Elijah was in front of you. Erik touched Elijah's face as Rebekah came sitting next to you.

"You are our lover, our beloved. Of course we would have understood. Elijah and I love you so deeply that we would die for you."

"Rebekah is right. We tore up the city looking for you." Elijah says grabbing Erik's hands smiling softly as the boy squealed putting his mouth on Elijah's hand.

"I sorry....I just...scared and Hayley told me all these things. I didn't mean to cause trouble." You said tearing up as Elijah gently took Erik and Rebekah wrapped you up in her arms.

"Shhh love. We weren't angry with you." Rebekah says her tone gentle as you sniffled feeling her kiss your head. Elijah looked at Erik seeing the boy staring back babbling softly.

"You'll be sure to visit right?" Dean asked hugging you after dropping your things off while Elijah was watching with Rebekah who was holding Erik.

"Yeah of course Dean. Thank you for everything."

"We're going to miss you and Erik." Sam says as you smiled hugging the tall hunter.

"If you both miss me too much just come to visit." You say as they nodded smiling and drove off. You turned seeing your lovers and son smiling you walked up as Elijah put an arm around you.

"No more running?"

"No more running." You promised as Elijah and Rebekah took you inside listening to Erik babble.

#rere's stories #elijah mikaelson imagine #rebekah mikaelson imagine #elijah mikaelson x reader #rebekah mikaelson x reader

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drabbles-of-writing · 3 years

Note

heyo! same anon who had the "Raine adopts Hunter" au and i come bearing HCs! ok ok ok so basically Raine Knows about lil rascal bc they were leaving a note and heard the sound of bird chirps and the soft thunk of wood on wood. as a result they sometimes leave little pet toys they find along with the other notes and gifts. Hunter meanwhile is DEADSET on figuring out who tf is leaving shit under his door all the time and he set up all sorts of dumb booby traps (as much as he could being in the castle) and every time Raine just- uses their bard magic to hide themselves or something and it pisses off Hunter to NO END. but at the same time Hunter starts to think of the letter bringer as a parent figure since they give advice in their letters about an area hes going to for a mission or brings him candy if he gets punished for something stupid. and then Hunter first finds out that Raine was the letter bringer when lil rascal saw their picture in the news about them being caught and making sad noises and Hunter just starts to think about the timeline and how insanely op bard magic can be in the right hands and you can almost hear the gears turning until he goes "oh shit thats THEM" and rushes off to recruit the owl fam to steal back his psuedo parent. when Eda finds out that the little twit Raine was leaving shit for was THE FUCKING GOLDEN GUARD AND ALSO LUZ KNEW HIM TOO AND DIDNT SAY ANYTHING???? shes just. so confused. but a person she loves is on the line and the kid doesnt seem too bad underneath the mask.

Hunter, kicking in the front door of the owl house: HEY DO YOU GUYS WANNA PISS OFF BELOS Eda: I mean, yes, always, but who are you

Hunter originally just wanted Luz specifically but Luz was immediately like "yeah I should probably get Eda's help for this I do Not want to face Belos on my own again" and the two of them figh each other as Luz is trying to wriggle out of his grip going "EDAAA EDA I HAVE SOMETHIN TO TELL YOU" and Hunter is trying to strangle her to keep her Quiet

Eda shows up and is like "who??? are you??" and Hunter is about to just say his name and leave it at that. just a normal witch boy here don't mind him but of course Luz is just deadpan "hes the golden guard. we're kind of friends. i wanna help him anger belos" and Hunter immediately tries to strangle her again

Eda is going about a million miles an hour when Hunter also brings up "yeah i wanna rescue Raine Whispers bc they were kinda nice to me n stuff and I feel really bad" and Eda is almost hysterical like "RAINE??? YOU????? WHEN THE HELL DID RAINE GET A KID" but honesty shes just trying to focus on one thing at a time and grabs everyone like "okay yes we can rescue Raine but lets rescue their Batts friends first since we could use some help, and also Katya probably knows the prison pretty well by now" and thus its a bunch of hijinks to try and rescue Raine but then they find Raine is mind controlled in some thicket stuff and both Hunter and Eda are Not having a good time right now

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tedturneriscrazy · 2 years

Text

Here we are with Hollow Mind! Part 3 of what I'm calling the Rebecca Rose trilogy!

(Hey, I carried the running gag all the way through!)

I'm sure this will just be another goofy episode filled with silly jokes for kids. :)

Oh, so that clip was the cold open! Well then

Damn, no bananas in the Demon Realm?

I told myself I probably wasn't gonna use screencaps, but goddamnit this wordplay is too good to pass up

Oh shit! Raine, Darius, and Eber! (I didn't think Eberwolf was in on this, guess I was wrong lol)

My previous theorizing was kinda right!

Oh, so that rewind thing wasn't just part of the promo

Going to repair Luz's cape? Makes sense

The whole exchange with Luz and King over the walkie talkies is precious

AAAAA KING'S TAKING SPANISH LESSONS 😭❤

Hmm, we're seeing the effects of Belos' propaganda in action here

Eda makes very salient points

"It seems obvious but no one will listen" too fuckin real

I'm not exactly sure how Luz thinks Hunter is supposed to help in this endeavor

Speaking of Hunter, how does he not recognize Raine's glasses?

LMAOOOO LUZ

Well, I was wrong about them sending someone else in...oh well

Aaaand he steps on the vial as he says that

Yeah, that was about the reaction I expected

Wow, that whole spiel doesn't sound cultish at all

Never found out what happened to the previous one, huh? I'm sure that won't come up later

"Why does Darius look so sad here?" Ohhhh noooooo

And there's baby Belos (Philip)?

Yeah, the "so she can ruin someone else's day" is supposed to be a jab, but the fact he didn't just include her in the "enemies" is interesting

Also, Hunter, honey, I don't think whatever that is is gonna help you

Well that thing is terrifying

Oh, so that hallway with paintings was a façade

Yikes, the way his hand trembles when the palisman crumbles to dust...you just know he's thinking about Flapjack

I think I said this way back when that first clip of Separate Tides was released, but for as intense as this show gets, it's nice to know that it's still funny

Getting dragged down to the subconscious? No big deal, then

*sigh* Okay, that was actually rather sweet

Luz be all like "I knew you were a big softie"

I mean, in all likelihood, guilt is simply something Belos simply doesn't feel

Luz is old hat at the whole "invading memories" business

Eda in Serious Business mode is intense

All that and he tosses up the brb sign lmao

(Still, state of the art defense system, indeed)

Darius was all for bouncing until he heard his surrogate son was also lost in the sauce

Even Raine doesn't know what the hell Hooty is, and they presumably know him

Oh, so Belos totally did go the street preacher route

"Nine hues" seems significant

Ah, there's the scam

Gee that guy sounds familiar

Yeah, I figured Hunter wouldn't be so easily convinced

Holy shit, those are the ruins at the Knee! Belos did that! Fuck

It's that whole Eric Andre shooting meme, except not played for laughs

Ah, talking about the soul, he is a Puritan Christian!

First branding glove?

"They're...still alive..." "Then we still have work to do." Jesus fuck

Ah, cognitive dissonance/denial is a hell of a drug

One more memory, this one with the portal door

Oh shit, the Collector!

"Nine bright hues" there it is again

Also, Collector giving me Dimentio vibes

Also Kid Buu, based on the way he craves destruction and is bored

Either way, bratty kid with nonetheless incredible knowledge/power, but no corporeal form

Oh, this is the aftermath of Eclipse Lake

Wow, ungrateful bastard

Fuuuuuuuuck

This is how we find out, then

God, Luz is so kindhearted...One of the things I love about her

Jesus Christ how horrifying

Oh fuck, that's where the palismen went?! This just keeps getting more and more fucked up

Never trust small children /s

NOOOOOOPPEE I do NOT like Belos saying Luz's name like that!

So Belos is a fucked up Hohenheim, got it

"You looked the most like him" STOP

The "it's gonna be okay" talk...woof, that hits particularly hard for me for some reason

Witch hunter, huh? All those comparisons were spot on, then

Oh shit, the next reveal!

Now it's Luz's turn to be broken...

Uuuuuuughggghhhhhhh

"I'll handle this!" Goddamnit show, don't make me laugh now

(Also thanks for doing so)

KING SAME THO

Raine might not know what Hooty is, but they do know he's a sucker for romancd

Aw, no, the last of the titan blood

"I had to change it when Philip was run out of too many towns" I bet you did you crusty evil fuck

"Can't reason with crazy" YOU'RE ONE TO TALK

Oh hey our boy is back! Using Luz's name, no less!

And another narrow escape! So many of those this season

Oh, no, here comes the panic attack

She saw some shit, Eda. We all did

Ho-lee shitballs, that was a lot!

Everyone who's into the lore aspect of this show feasted well with this episode. For my part, this finally actually made me feel genuinely sympathetic toward Hunter. Has to be rough knowing you were basically grown as spare parts, and that your father figure is willing, even eager, to kill you after you found out too much.

As for Luz, to find out the guy you helped amd were tricked by in the past was the big bad all along...and the extent of what he's done...Fucking hell.

They really are coming out swinging for this season, I must say! With each episode I get angrier at Disney for cutting it short, because there's so much! Well, I suppose all we can do is enjoy what we get.

Next week is the King episode which...uh oh...That one's gonna be a gut punch, too, isn't it? Fuck.

#the owl house #toh s2 spoilers #the owl house season 2 spoilers #toh spoilers #the owl house spoilers #luz noceda #hunter #eda clawthorne #king clawthorne #raine whispers #darius #eberwolf #emperor belos #philip wittebane

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slowpoke-fics · 3 years

Text

Hidden Hunter

Fandom: Supernatural

Pairing: Crowley x Reader

Summary: Crowley is your best friend, has been for years and taught you a lot of what you know. However, you aren't associated with the boys.

Warnings: mention of injury and stitches, slow burn, hint at death, I could be missing some, I am not perfect please read at your own risk

A/N: I loved this fic, I hope you guys do too! Oh! And a favor I ask of you. The more I write the more I worry about warnings. If you ever see anything I write not have a warning it should, please tell me.

You pulled into your motel, harshly parking your car and storming into your room. Muttering to yourself as you slid your shirt off, door barely slamming shut, "Stupid motherfuckers couldn't just listen. Couldn't just-" you let out a guttural scream, "I tried. I tried." You shook your head, unbuttoning your pants as you heard Crowley behind you, "Hello, Mouse." You slipped your pants off, turning to look at Crowley, not missing the way his eyes studied the curves of your body. "Hey, Crowley."

Crowley took in your ragged and bloody appearance. Dried blood scattered throughout your hair, on your arms, tiny nicks and cuts over your body with a nasty gash on your torso. Crowley's eyebrows raised and he spoke as you went into the bathroom turning on the shower, "I guess they didn't take the deal?" You poked your head out of the bathroom, glaring at him, "No, they didn't captain obvious." Crowley laughed, sitting on the bed as you took a quick shower.

You ran your fingers through your hair, trying to get the blood out without stretching too far so you didn't irritate the gash on your stomach. You stepped out of the shower, washing all of the grime off of you made you feel a little better. "I hate hunting," you muttered to Crowley as you walked out of the bathroom, hair draped over your neck and a towel wrapped tightly around you. "Would you please get me a pair of shorts, a tank top and a pair of underwear out of my bag?" Crowley smiled at you, already on his way to your bag, "Of course, love."

You stood there looking at Crowley as he ruffled through your bag. His suit clinging to all the right spots, curling around his biceps, tight around his thighs, unfortunately his ass covered by the length of his jacket, shoes nicely completing his look.

You'd met Crowley a few years back, when he was a lowly cross roads demon. You went to make a deal, planning to exchange your soul for the ability to track supernatural creatures so you could save them. Crowley took an interest in why you wanted to do such things. Realizing that you were a hunter that wanted to stop the deaths before they happen was important to you. Stop the needless death of humans and monsters alike.

You'd become close to him, allowing him to teach you the ways of the natural witch. After about a year you had learned enough that Crowley needed to come up with some other reason to stick around. So he started to offer his help with no strings attached as he took a liking to his little mouse. The hunter who only hunted those who hunt.

Crowley handed you the clothing, politely turning around before you dropped your towel. You slid your underwear on, groaning as you did so, causing Crowley too start to turn around. He stopped himself, asking permission first, "Let me help, yeah mouse?" You giggled, covering your boobs and huffing, "Yeah okay."

Crowley turned around, helping you step into the shorts and pulling them up, he handed you the towel to properly cover yourself on his way up. What a gentleman, you thought as he went over to your bag, digging out the emergency kit. "Lay, you need stitches," Crowley pointed to bed. You grumbled, he knew you didn't like stitches, "It's not even that bad, it's fine." Crowley glared at you, "Love, if you don't stitch that it's gonna take months to heal and likely get infected."

You laughed, laying down, "I could always just use a spell." Crowley shook his head, his playfulness with his best friend suddenly gone, "We've discussed that Y/n, it's not the kind of magic you want too mess around with." You put his hand on his arm, as he wet the rag he had with alcohol, in an attempt to comfort him, "I was just kidding, I know."

Crowley started cleaning the gash, making sure that you had gotten all the debris out. You hissed at him, you could see how curious he was, but you'd made a rule that he doesn't press hard unless it's bad. "So," you croaked out as he started stitching you, "what'd you do today?" Crowley smiled at you, secretly bashing you because if you'd just listen to him and find partners it wouldn't be like this.

"Well, I saw moose and squirrel-" You lifted your head, excited, "Sam and Dean?" He nodded, "Yes the royal pains in my ass. They were having trouble tracking some witch-" You giggled, "I could've helped them instead." Crowley tries to hide his genuine concern by joking, "Oh no doll, I don't think we'll be doing that." You furrowed your brows, "I still think we'd make a good team."

"Mouse, I don't ask for much," Crowley sighed, "if you want partners, I can find plenty of hunters that are not Winchesters." Crowley put gauze over your stitches, carefully pressing tape to hold them in place. You sat up, Crowley turning around to let you slip your tank top on, "Decent," he turned back around, "what is your problem? I never like other people enough to let them join me, but when I hear about someone you say no?"

Crowley sighed, "They're dangerous people, Y/n. I've told you I don't want you near them." You stared at him, "I just don't understand, you always tell me they're dangerous and I can't go near them but nothing else!" You stood up, starting to pace. "They're-huff-" Crowley looked away from you, closing his eyes tightly as they flashed with anger, "they'll do nothing but destroy you." With that Crowley was gone. You were used to your arguments ending like that, even your conversations. He would get called away and come back when he wasn't busy and that was fine, but you were going to look into the Winchesters while you had the chance.

You pulled out a map of the United States, channeling through your pendulum Crowley had hand made for you. You smiled, looking at the chain on one end a sharp pointed crystal rested, on the there a tiny little metal mouse, identifying it as yours, the only one on the planet like it. You took a deep breath, circling the crystal over the map focusing your energy on the image of the Winchester brothers. After a few minutes of scrying and finding nothing you decided to leave it for now, starting to pack up your things you began thinking about what was so bad about the Winchester brothers. Why did Crowley want you to stay away?

You didn't really know much about them aside from the little Crowley'd told you because you didn't really associate with other hunters. At the end of the day, you hated most of them. Hunters in general were crass, and you hated that. You are a ray of sunshine trying to preserve life and most hunters see something not human and kill it. That didn't sit right with you.

You thought about the things you did know about the brothers. They had been in this life their whole life. Had lost both parents, almost ended the world a couples times, saved it just as much if not more. Only really had each other, but Crowley had mentioned an angel on their shoulder-Castiel I believe? What did you even know about him?

"I don't believe I know you?" Your entire body went cold, turning as fast as you can to aim a gun in between his eyes. "That will do little damage to me," he spoke flatly. "I beg to differ, these here special made bullets to put your ass in back in hell, so tell me? What're you doing here?" The man is staring at you, confusion in his brows, arms by the edges of his trench coat, pants and shirt tidy, but not perfect, "I am Castiel, an angel of the lord. You called to me." Before you could even think of a response, Crowley was standing next to you. Eyes holding fear, not ager, he speaks lowly, a whisper under his breath.

"What have you done little mouse?"

You lowered your gun, not sure if it was because it wouldn't do damage or because you felt safe with Crowley there. "I didn't call to anybody," you stare at Castiel, eyes boring into his as he speaks. "I beg to differ, I felt you, heard you, you seem to also need dealings with the Winchesters?" He looked to Crowley who he'd just seen not hours ago, "I am slightly concerned with Crowley being here." Crowley scoffed, "I haven't tried anything on the musketeers in years, I've been nothing but a friend and Y/n here was too curious for her own good." He growled out the end looking directly towards you, causing a rush guilt for going behind Crowleys back.

"I didn't mean to take you away from the Winchesters-" "You did not. I am a man of many abilities, helping people is one of them. At least allow me to heal you." You backed away as he stepped forward, "I am not going to hurt you." Crowley put his hand on your arm, trying to reassure you, "Well do it then Feathers, but uh-" Castiel healed you, you felt warmth, pain dissolving from your body, "can we keep her to ourselves?" Your eyes raised at Crowley, appalled by his gumption to hide you.

"Excuse me?" You jerked away from Crowley, Castiel raising his eyebrows at you. "Is that what you would like Y/n?" You looked at Crowley, his face a mix of anger and concern. "Can we? I promise I won't bother you." Castiel smiles at you, secretly reading you, "You wouldn't be a bother but I understand. I am happy to have healed you." Castiel was gone, Crowley already starting to pick your bags up. "We're gone now mouse."

He grabbed you, whisking you away. You looked around, taking in the room you were standing in. It was clearly an apartment, a nicer than you'd ever known anyone to have. You looked around, a sleek kitchen area, the bathroom door opened from the living room, the couch took up most of the living room, a nice coffee table in front of it but pressed to the wall.

"Crowley where are we?" He was glaring at you, a sour look on his face, "A safe house, I hoped we'd never have to use it." You shook your head, "Okay, but where? What about my car?" He shuffled on his feet, "In a few days when I know Castiel didn't spill the beans about you I will take you back to it." Crowley chuckled a little, but not answering as he reached out your bags for you to take. You huffed, taking your bags from him, and then he disappeared.

You walked over to the refrigerator, to your surprise it was stocked. Demons don't need to eat, you thought to yourself, a little confused and trying to figure out where you were, you moved to the window. You looked out and you couldn't have been but three stories up, but no markers as to your city or state. The bathroom was also stocked shampoo, conditioner, soap, toilet paper, toothbrush and toothpaste?

Crowley reappeared, holding the rest of your things and your gun. You took it from him, anger over your features. "Crowley, are we in someone's apartment right now? You know how I feel about how you taking over peoples lives!" Crowley scoffed at you, "You know I respect you too much to violate your beliefs like that!" You rolled your eyes, tucking your gun behind your waistband, "Then who's apartment is this?"

Crowley made his was over to the cabinet, pulling out a bottle of liquor he conveniently knew where to find, "Technically yours. Like I said it's a safe house." You tapped the counter, letting him know you wanted a glass as you sat down, "Gonna have to do better than that." He poured your glass first, shrugging he started, "I pay for it, it's under a fake name, it's warded so you can't be found, do we need to get into logistics?" You downed your glass, picking up the bottle and filling up again, "You brought me here after I met Castiel, that's not exactly safe house worthy." Crowley shook his head, sipping on his own glass, "Yes it is cricket, yet it is." Your blood started to boil, you stood from your chair, seething with anger, you spit, "Crowley, if you don't stop acting like-"

"Like what? Like someone who wants to keep you alive?" You flinched at Crowleys words, waiting for him to continue, "Everyone that they're around dies, Y/n, dies. Hunter funeral, pile of ash, dies. Everyone but them; they will destroy you." You scoffed, "I'm pretty good at keeping myself alive thank you." He raises his eyebrows, smirking a bit, "Do you forget how we met mouse?" Your eyes connected with his, glaring, still seething with anger, "I was desperate not dead, there's a difference. Crowley, they can't be doing more damage than me hunting on my own. Maybe I could be a voice of reason-" Crowley slammed his glass down, grabbing the counter with both hands, "No! I don't know why you even want to know them!"

You studied Crowley, jealousy now seeping from him. Then it clicked. It clicked that you two were a bunch of shy kids. Bouncing around each other like you were fifteen for years now. Each thinking the other was uninterested, each thinking that you didn't deserve one another. Crowley rightfully so for a while, the things he did outside of you could be classified as horrendous, but your ray of sunshine had spread to him. Bringing out all of the good parts that once was Fergus Roderick MacLeod, reminding him of who he could be. You reminded him how to love, how to hold someone higher than yourself. Reminded him of what it's like to protect someone other than yourself, to need to.

"Crowley," you walked around the table and placed your hand on his, "please just tell me what's going on." Crowley didn't hesitate, he turned to you pressing his lips into yours. It took you a second to realize what was happening, and then you melted. You moved your arms around his neck, pulling him deeper into the kiss, his stubble tickling you. Crowley tangled his fingers in your hair, taking a deep breath as he readjusted to meet your lips, tongue skirting your bottom lip before nibbling on it. You gasped at the action, the sound taking Crowley by surprise as he continued to glide across your lips, not missing the warm blush on your face.

Crowley was first to pull away, sliding his hand out of your hair and tucking it behind your ear, resting his hand there, he whispered, "I can't lose you." You planted a chaste kiss on his lips, smiling at him reassuringly, "You won't." He softened a little bit, sighing heavily before returning his lips to yours. Soft and gentle, savoring the moment as he tugged you closer to him with his arm around your waist. You pulled just an inch away, Crowleys eyes opening and making contact with yours, "Does this mean I get to meet the Winchesters?" Crowley growled at you, quickly lifting you by your thighs causing your to wrap your legs around him, "Absolutely not."

#supernatural fluff #supernatural fanfic #supernatural fanfiction #spn flangst #spn fluff #spn angst #spn fanfiction #crowley x reader #crowley x y/n #crowley fluff #crowley angst #crowley fanfiction #Crowley imagine #crowley fic #Crowley one shot #crowley Drabble

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charliedawn · 3 years

Text

Imagine being Spike's closest friend/advisor in love with him and him being completely oblivious about it

" Spike ! Where are you ?! We need to talk to you !"

You find the vampire in his crypt, his eyebrows barely raised in surprise.

" Y/N. Buffy. What a surprise ? So, what can I do for you on this fine evening ?"

He says with a small sarcastic smile. Buffy rolls her eyes and sits in front of him with her arms crossed.

" We need your help."

Suddenly, his eyes lit up in curiosity and the corners of his lips raise up a notch.

" The hunters want my help ? Well..Isn't that good news ?! Oh goodie ! I get it that my head gets to stay attached to my body another day.."

You sigh, not because of his sarcastic answer you had grown accustomed to, but because you know that deep down ? He is truly excited. His brain already calculating how to turn this situation to his advantage.

" So, what's the job ? Vampires ? Demons ? Witches ?.."

He asks with the back of his head resting on his hands and waiting for Buffy or you to spill the beans.

" Vampires. In your territory. We know you've been hiding some of them.."

Buffy cuts straight to the point and Spike arks an eyebrow, smiling innocently.

" Sorry. Can't help you. I don't know what you're talking about..Maybe you got the wrong vampire for once ?"

Buffy raises an eyebrow as well before crossing her arms on her chest expectantly.

" Blond ? Spiky hair ? Dark and brooding ? Nah. I think we got the right one. Now, where are they hidden ? Spill it out, or you get the stake."

She gets her stake out to show that she is serious, but Spike only chuckles as he stands up to look down at the slayer, his shirt barely protecting his ribcage frown the sharp end of the stake.

" Is that a threat or a promise ?"

You can see that Buffy is biting her lower lip, she is actually tempted to ask Spike for a moment after this..But then her eyes fall on you, and she knows that she can't do it. Not now. Not when she knows that you've fallen for him. Spike and her have passion, he is amazing in bed of course..but what you feel for him, it makes her think of what she feels for Angel. She can't do it. She takes a step back, but it's Spike that takes a step forward to whisper seductively in her ear.

" What do you say, if I help you, you give me a kiss ?"

You grit your teeths and finally snap, you take him by the shoulder to spin him around and punch him in the face. His eyes widen significantly in shock as he doesn't understand. You realize too late what you've done and take a couple of steps backwards before apologizing.

" I..I'm sorry. I need to go."

You run outside of his crypt and Spike turns towards Buffy for an explanation.

" What's gotten into her ?!"

Buffy sighs loudly in exasperation before answering the question of the perplexed vampire.

" You're an idiot, Spike. She likes you."

Spike doesn't seem to understand and frowns before repeating incredulously.

" She..She what ?"

Buffy pinches the bridge of her nose between her index and thumb, wondering how the vampire could be so daft sometimes.

" She. Loves. You. Spike."

She finally says. But, the vampire only blanks out for a moment before stammering again, wondering if he heard her right.

" I..I beg you pardon ? Her ? Me ? No. Can't be."

He shakes his head negatively and Buffy rolls her eyes before taking him by his black coat to push him forward.

" Go talk to her, you idiot ! Before you lose her !"

He is about to go when Buffy sighs again as he seems lost. She grabs his arm and asks him with a worried frown.

" Wait. What are you going to do ?"

He shrugs before getting out of her grip and replying with a small provocative smile.

" I'm gonna do what I shoulda done in the first place: I'll find her, wherever she is, tie her up, torture her until she likes me again."

Buffy's eyes widen, but before she could stop him, he's already gone. She only humphs disapprovingly before crossing her arms again.

" Don't blow it, Spike.."

She mutters before turning around to go search for the rest of the hidden vampires on her own.

You are running with glassy eyes, filled with tears. You know that your action was rash, impulsive..You can't even explain why you had acted like that. It wasn't you. You continue to run aimlessly and blindly through the tombstones until you hit something and fall backwards. When you open your eyes again, you see that you had collided with a man, a vampire to be exact, that smiles evilly as he looks down at you.

" Well well..Dinner is served it seems."

You look around frantically for your stake, but just as you are about to grab it, the vampire spots it first and stomps on it, breaking it in two. He then grabs you by the throat and seems amused by your attempts to breathe. You try to wiggle out of his grip and scream, but he covers your mouth and laughs darkly as he recognizes you.

" And not any dinner..A hunter at that..I've seen you run around with the other slayer in and out of Spike's crypt. Where are your friends now, slayer ?"

You feel your heart quicken as he opens his mouth wide. You close your eyes, but then a familiar voice interrupts the moment.

" Turn around."

The vampire has just the time to turn around that Spike stakes him. You hear his scream, but are too tired to open your eyes. Spike is by your side in a minute and carries you in his arms.

" Hey ! Stay with me, slayer ! You hear me !"

His voice is the last thing you hear before blacking out. Spike carries you back to the Summer household where Buffy quickly takes care of you. He wants to stay by your side, but Buffy gives him a stern look.

" Don't you dare, Spike. You are not welcomed in this house. This is all your fault. I don't want to see you ever again."

She slams the door in his face and her words sting him deeply, more than he cares to admit. But, he understands her anger and turns around to return to his graveyard. However, he lets out a shaky sigh first before looking up at your bedroom window. He can't even count the times you had opened your window for him, even when you knew how dangerous and unstable he was. Spike doesn't have any friends. But, if he could call someone that ? It would certainly be you.

The moment you wake up, you look around to see that night has fallen and Buffy is nowhere to be found. You don't wait for her before grabbing your vampire hunting gear and running outside to find Spike. You know that Buffy is going to be mad at you for meeting with him, but you have to tell him. Tell him that it wasn't his fault. Tell him that you had acted without thinking. Tell him that he is the only person who makes you laugh and brings a smile to your face when you're having a bad day. Tell him..Tell him..You have all those memories that suddenly come to you, memories of when Spike knew exactly when you needed to be cheered up and would stand in front of your window until you would allow him in. Memories of when he had scared the hell out of Buffy and Angel when paying you a visit and making them think that he was going to suck your mom's blood, only for you to intervene and save him..Memories that should be enough, enough for you to let go of him. Unfortunately, it only makes things worse, having to tell yourself every single day that what you are feeling is only a small crush, that it would go with time, only to come back stronger than ever every single time your eyes meet his. You finally get to the graveyard and stop when you see him, leaning against the door of his crypt, smoking, as if waiting for you.

He doesn't move, even though he heard you approach, and throws you one of his half-hooded glances that always makes your heart beat faster. That burning gaze, but so cold at the same time..Intense and sad, so very sad. You feel goosebumps forming on your skin at the simple eye-contact, and you haven't even spoken a word yet. Eventually, he smirks knowingly at you before throwing his cigaret to the ground and stomping on it.

" What do you want, newbie ? You came to check on me for Buffy ? Well, you can tell the slayer that I am still as dead as the day we met..Also, glad to see that you're still breathing. Not that I cared, but I wouldn't want the slayer to come knocking on my door, yelling how I killed her best friend."

He says with a mocking grin, but you're no fool. You see this gleam of hope in his eyes, hope that the other slayer is finally acknowledging him as a potential ally. Maybe knowing that Buffy is finally seeing in him someone dangerous enough to be looked after would mean that she would finally come knocking at his door with more than threats and insults ? Maybe she would even grow to like him ? Maybe..But, you know that it is only a dream. She would never love him. Ever. And no matter how dangerous or important he becomes, she would never consider him as anything but a threat, a nuisance. Sad. Especially since you know that he is a good man, but with a high taste for women that would never feel the same about him..

You sigh and answer with a small smile translating pity.

" No. I need your help."

He smiles, but you can still see the deception in his eyes.

" I see..And I guess that the slayer doesn't know you came here, does she ?"

You shake your head negatively and he sighs before leaning against a nearby tombstone.

" Fine. Tell me. Why would I help you ? Besides my usual loving kindness ?"

He sneers, but his eyes translate a certain curiosity as to why indeed you would set foot in his graveyard in the middle of the night. You walk forward until your noses nearly touch, your face a few inches away from him. Even if Spike can't breathe anymore, hasn't been able to for a long time, he can still feel his heart stop in his ribcage at your sudden closeness.

" W..What are you..?"

He starts, but is cut off by you slowly raising your hands on each side of his face. He closes his mouth in surprise and doesn't dare move, even when you lay your forehead against his.

" Here's what I want your help with, Spike. I want you to be happy, Spike. I don't care if you are a vampire, a demon, a monster..You stay someone who the Summer family learned to appreciate more than you know..You've helped them countless of times, more than anyone. Now, it's your turn. Let me help you. You need to concentrate on yourself. And I don't mean the emotionless cruel monstrous vampire with a tendency to speak in sarcasm, but Spike, the romantic poet, the sensitive artist, the one who speaks with his senses and who used to know how to see beauty everywhere.."

You trace your fingertips along the interior of his forearms, his biceps, his neck and end your path on his cheeks. You then see something akin sadness in his eyes. He's shaking and raises his own hands to take yours. He's finally letting his true emotions out and looks up at you with all the misery he feels painted in his beautiful dark eyes. And you smile, knowing that it is the true Spike that you are now facing..

" Here he is. The true Spike..William."

You say while tenderly stroking his cheek. However, he suddenly kneels on the ground, his head hanging low as he cries out.

" She'll never love me like this ! She loves the other me. The bad guy. The heartless vampire. The monster that makes her feel in danger and who is useful to her ! I have no choice. Otherwise, she would have discarded of me a long time ago..She wouldn't even have spared me a second glance before staking my heart !..Not that she hasn't already.."

You look at him with eyes full of sadness before kneeling in front of him. You then force him to look up at you and say without an ounce of hesitation.

" Then, she is the monster."

His eyes widen at your words and you grab him by the arms to force him to stand up with you as you explain.

" Think about it. She is killing someone by preventing you to be yourself. She's killing William, only leaving Spike. At the end, she would have stolen your heart and your life. Let's face it, Buffy will kill you if you are willing to give her everything you are. The true question is, will you let her when the time comes, or will you fight ?"

He clenches his jaw as he stares at you, wondering why you would be so determined for him to live ? Could what Buffy said be true ? He shakes his head..No. It couldn't be. He finally answers you with a sorrowful resolution.

" What is the point of living if love isn't there ?"

You suddenly frown and to his utter surprise, slap him. It takes a while for him to get over his shock, you take the opportunity to shake his ideas straight. You wouldn't let him die.

" Don't you ever say that again ! Ever ! Don't say such nonsense ! You've already fallen in love before, Spike. Three times. And you'll fall in love again ! Again and again ! You'll continue until you finally meet someone that will finally understand how extraordinary you are and how lucky they are to have you ! One day, you will get our of that grim graveyard and that day, you'll see Buffy for who she really is ! Just another woman that couldn't see the luck she had to have you ! Tall, handsome, downright dreamy guy with amazing hair !.."

He laughs at that last part and you smile, at least you could still make him laugh.

"..But you have to stop wanting to put an end to your life just because she was not the right one !"

Suddenly, Spike loses his smile and glares up at you before standing up and shouting angrily.

" When ?! Huh ?! When will I meet that miraculous person that will make my miserable life a bliss ?! I only fall in love with destructive women, cruel and manipulative temptresses ! Women that only use me or make me want to throw myself off a bridge ! I only know the dark chaotic love, the kind that makes you drown with the goddamn ship !"

His breathing quickens as he tells you his grief and curse. You wait patiently until he is finished before finally replying.

" Then, let's do it together."

Spike doesn't understand at first, he frowns in incomprehension at you while you intertwine your fingers with a smile, even with the tears that are rolling down your cheeks.

" Let's jump from a bridge together. Let's drown together. Let's die together if that's the price for you to love me.."

Spike finally understands and looks up at you with something new, close to pity but also linked with self-hatred for letting himself be moved by you, out of all people. He wanted Buffy to be here, saying those words..and yet, he can't help but be helpless as you utter those words, he wants to believe them so bad..but he can't. He knows you. He knows that you would do anything to help him, even pretend loving him. He wants to step back, run maybe..but you don't let him go. You would never let him go when you know that he may never come back..You insist, taking a step further towards him so he can see the determination in your eyes.

" Since neither of us will ever find love or peace. And since you have the firm intention to put an end to it all. Then let's do it together. This way, I'll stop waking up in the middle of the night, sweating and panting with only one thought: Is he okay ? That way, I won't have to stop myself from killing Buffy every time she tells me how much of an idiot Spike is to think she would ever love him. Or rush to warn you each time she says she's going to kill you..I want to stop loving you, Spike ! At least you are lucky to be able to live long enough to forget them or to find other soulmates out there ! Me ? I'm only human. I only have one chance. And turns out, he'll never be mine ! And I will never meet another one in my life ! So, be happy to be immortal and stop saying that you'll end your life ! Because I will never have peace until I know that you are going to keep living ! So, let's jump ! I have a stake, you have your inhuman strength. Tore me to pieces, break my neck, rip my heart right out of my chest..If I can't have you, and you can't have the one you want. If we can't love. Then, at least, let me die with you. I won't be able to live without you. So, please, let me help you..and help myself at the same time."

You sob and grab his hand to put it over your heart, so he can rip it from your ribcage if he so wishes. You are so upset that you don't feel his fingers closing on yours. When you raise your face with determination to tell him that you wouldn't let him die, you see him smiling: not his usual cold, sarcastic or mischievous smile. A genuine smile. One that thrills you and that makes you want to smile back. But what happens next is even better. He kisses you. He kisses you tenderly, a chaste kiss. He doesn't kiss you like Buffy, where the kiss is brutal, violent or even beastly, but a patient and soft velvety kiss. When he pulls away, you feel giddy and light-headed. You feel your cheeks warm up and your smile couldn't grow any wider. And Spike ? He softly laughs before smiling too and gently stroking your cheek.

" Six.."

He says in such a low voice that you nearly miss it.

" What ?"

He looks up at you and gives you a boyish grin.

" I fell in love six times. Not three. You forgot when I was still human.."

You know he is teasing you, but you still elbow him, which earns you a small chuckle.

" Womanizer.."

You finally call him and he gently wraps his arms around you before whispering near your ear almost sadly.

" But you're the only one who ever loved me back.."

You sigh before leaning against him. You stay like that for a while, until Spike asks.

" Could you please say it ?"

" Say what ?"

" You know.."

He seems almost embarrassed to ask and you finally understand.

" I'm always the one who says it first, and since I'm normally the only one who says it at the end..I would like to hear it first. Please."

" I love you."

You says with not an ounce of hesitation and he stares at you with deep black eyes and smiles, his eyes creasing enough to make some little wrinkles appear at the corner of his eyes. He's so happy that he asks you to repeat.

" I love you. I love you. I love you..And I'll say it again and again until you'll be tired of hearing it."

He tilts his head to kiss you again, and it's so true and beautiful that he asks himself how it's possible to be this happy ? Is that love ? The love that doesn't destroy but creates ? If it is, he wants it now and forever. He continues to kiss you and refuses to let go until morning. At last, Spike the Bloody and William the poet are both satisfied.

#buffy btvs #fandoms #imagine #fanfic #spike x reader #show: btvs

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battybatzgirl · 3 years

Text

Hey Mr. Sandman, You Missed a Spot

AO3

Summary:

It's not that Hunter doesn't ever sleep, Eda's come to realize. It was that he falls asleep sporadically, most of the time in really weird places.

Or: 5 times Eda catches Hunter taking a nap

Part 1 of the Finders Keepers Series

---

Here’s the thing about Eda: she loves naps. Eda likes to be cozy, so usually, that equated to curling up under a blanket, lazing around, and falling asleep. The Owl Beast shared that sentiment, the creature that lived within her constantly wanting to nest. Those animalistic instincts were weird, but when you lived in a house with a demon who also liked to bury himself under a pile of stuffed animals, you kind of got used to it.

Here’s the thing about Hunter: he doesn’t sleep.

The kid has been living with them for only about two weeks, officially replacing Eda as Public Enemy Numero Uno in the eyes of the Emperor. When he’d showed up on Hooty’s doorstep, all bloody and barely conscious, Eda thought it was some kind of cosmic trick. The Powers That Be had to be pulling her leg because this was the second time the leader of the Emperor’s Coven had shown up to the Owl House with nowhere else to go.

Luz had been ecstatic to welcome him in, apparently excited to finally fulfill her dreams of becoming a middle child in their weird little found family. King was less thrilled, but eventually warmed up to the idea of Hunter staying with them as long as he taught King his secrets on how to command an army.

Hunter himself even seemed unnerved at the thought of living with them. He tried to leave a few times when he was still wounded, but his little bird palisman (Rascal, she’s heard him say) effectively herded him back into the house by continuously dive-bombing him and nipping at his ears. And after Belos put out a wanted poster for the kid, making him the Isles’ number one most wanted traitor, leaving wasn’t really an option. Not if he wanted to stay alive.

So eventually, Hunter begrudgingly accepted that yeah, he lived in the Owl House now.

And alright, Eda isn’t heartless. The kid was lost, wounded, and an enemy of the Emperor. She can work with that.

Getting to know him has been a challenge, though. Hunter has a lot of weird quirks. He holds himself so seriously that Eda has a hard time remembering that he’s a teenager and not a fully grown middle-aged man. He hardly ever smiles. He’s jumpy, practically jolting out of his skin every time you walk into the same room. He’s clearly Going Through Some Shit, as Eda so eloquently calls it, remembering how Lily went through the same thing when she slowly broke free of Belos’s freaky subjugation.

But still. The kid doesn’t sleep.

Eda first notices it around day four of his residence. She’s up early to go to the market, stepping into the living room and nearly transforming into her Harpy Form out of pure shock when she sees a figure messing with her bookshelf in the back of the room. Wide maroon eyes lock on hers from across the room and she feels the feathers that sprung to her skin recede.

“Titan, kid,” she breaths, “You nearly killed me. What are you doing up? It’s Saturday, you should be sleeping in.”

“Um…I did sleep in,” Hunter responds, as if it’s obvious.

Eda feels a frown tug at her lips, “The sun isn’t even up yet.”

The kid just shrugs a little lamely, and Eda feels a twinge of concern in her chest. (And ugh, feeling concerned for a guy who dangled you over the Boiling Sea is certainly weird.) If this was sleeping in for him, he couldn’t have rested more than five hours.

She steps closer, taking a second look at what he’s doing. Half the books are spread out on the floor, the other half stacked neatly back on the shelves in some kind of order.

He notices her looking, “I, uh, took the liberty of reorganizing your bookshelf. Or organizing it, since it didn’t really seem to have a system.” The kid ducks his head, the tips of his ears flushing pink. “I- I can put it back the way it was if you want, or organize them in a different way.”

That’s another thing about Hunter: he always has to be doing something. Being useful. Without direction, he crumples. It was always, What do you want me to do now, Miss Clawthorne this and I completed this task, Miss Clawthorne, what’s next that. His brain operated on a transactional level—I do this thing for you, you do this thing for me. And since Eda was housing him, he felt like he had to constantly be doing things for her. Constantly proving himself worthy to be here, repaying her. Hunter couldn’t seem to wrap his head around that she didn’t want him to do anything except stay comfortable.

Eda has thought up a hundred different little tasks for him to do in just his first four days. She’s running out of odd jobs to give him, and if she has to keep telling him what to do she’s going to start pulling out her hair.

“You’re fine, kid,” she says. “Keep doin’ what you’re doin’ if it makes ya happy. But you shouldn’t be up this early. You should at least take a nap later.”

Hunter tilts his head. “But that wouldn’t be accomplishing anything.”

“You don’t hafta be working all the time,” Eda stresses. “It’s okay to sit around and just exist once and a while. Actually, I think that should be your priority. Take a nap, relax, go cloud watching, take a walk—any or all of the above.”

“That sounds like doing nothing.”

“That’s because it is doing nothing.”

His face hardens, taking on that soldier-like seriousness that encompasses his entire demeanor. “Being lazy can’t be a priority.”

“Don’t think of it like that, then,” Eda almost snaps, wishing for a nice hot mug of apple blood. It was too damn early to deal with the repercussions of Belos’s all-work-no-play mindset. “Think of it as acting your age. Did you ever get to take naps as a kid in the Emperor’s Coven? Is relaxing just a foreign concept to you?”

He doesn’t answer, staring at her with those bagged eyes and guarded expression, and Eda throws up her hands in defeat.

She leaves then, her patience running too thin to continue arguing with him. She doubts he’ll actually go back to sleep. He probably goes back to doing whatever he was doing with that bookshelf. Eda makes a mental note to tell King to knock all the books off, just so Hunter can reorganize it later. Just for something for him to keep him occupied.

Eda doesn’t even notice the first time it happens. It was one of Luz’s friends, Gus, who pointed it out.

The kids were gathered at her home after school, spread out on the floor of the living room along with various pillows and blankets. Luz found some card game she knew buried somewhere in the piles of human trash Eda has laying around, and the girl has been spending the better part of an hour trying to explain how it works.

“So the Wild Card doesn’t make you turn into a wild animal?” Willow questions, holding up a black card with looks like a colorful pie chart on it.

“Nope!” Luz says cheerfully. “It just becomes any color you want it to be to go with the rest of your hand.”

“But the card doesn’t actually change color?” Amity asks.

“No, it only represents the color,” Luz clarifies, and Eda has to admit, her girl has a ton of patience. She’s been quietly watching from her place on the couch, half-listening to their conversation, half-reading the Isles’ latest edition of You Gossipy Witch, a tabloid where a writer is speculating about her true form. Apparently, some people think she was raised by feral, wild owls on some far away barrier island, and has come to reside in Bonesborough just because she ran out of mutant rats to eat.

Weird.

But entertaining!

Gus holds up one of his cards, “So are blank cards bad, or—"

King jumps over his shoulder, landing on the deck of cards in the middle of their little circle and making them fly everywhere. “I have taken dominion over ALL YOUR CARDS. All of you must grovel for a taste of my wealth!”

“Actually, the point of the game is to get rid of all your cards,” Luz reminds him gently. “That way, when you get down to one card, you shout Uno! And you win! If no one else makes you draw anymore, that is.”

King deflates a little, apparently put off by the idea of less is more. “Oh.” Luz smiles and pats him on the head, and he brightens up. “Okay, let’s play, because I wanna make all of you draw as many cards as possible! You'll drown in your cards! Choke on them, even!”

As they start gathering up the cards that King threw everywhere, Gus lets out a little gasp. “You guys—is Hunter asleep?”

That immediately draws Eda’s attention away from the magazine. Her eyes flicker to the blond witch, laying on his stomach just on the edge of their group. He was still having a hard time socializing, especially with Amity, but Luz was determined to include him in all friendship activities. She said wanted to teach him how to be a kid, and hell, if anyone could knock some seriousness out of that boy it would be Luz.

Hunter is indeed asleep—his face is mushed into the forearms pillowed under his head, and his red palisman has weaseled its way to nestle in between the crook of his elbow. His breath comes out in soft little sighs, and Eda feels something in her melt.

“Awwww, he looks so peaceful,” Luz croons, mushing her palms against her cheeks. Amity’s already scooched past her, snapping photos on her scroll. Eda can’t blame her. She knows a good blackmail opportunity when she sees one.

Eda’s off the couch and catches King mid-pounce. “Whoa there, none of that buddy.”

“But Edaaaa,” the demon whines, his little arms and legs flailing in mid-air. “I have to conquer him when he least expects it!”

“Ehhh, let the kid sleep. Save your conquests for when he’s awake and can put up a fight.” Eda sets him down in his place in the circle, and the kids all glance at each other before turning back to the cards.

She notices that they’re more mindful to keep their tones softer, probably to not disturb the sleeping boy. And when Hunter wakes himself up about half an hour later, they don’t mention it, seamlessly integrating him back into their game.

The second time it happens, Raine is walking Eda home. It’s early in the evening, and the pair just got done with a fabulous date—a picnic with apple blood and sweet (and stolen) baked goods? Titan, take Eda now, she’s found her perfect match.

She’s still riding that high, not noticing Raine stopping until they tug on their clasped hands. “Hey, who’s that? Is he okay?”

Eda follows where they’re pointing their finger. It’s Hunter, slumped against the base of an oak tree, fast asleep. His chin is tipped forward and a book open on his chest, and even more strangely, there’s a small pile of leaves on his lap.

“Oh, that’s just my—” Eda stops herself, the word catching in her throat. Hunter was a child in her care, yes, but he wasn’t quite her kid. Not like Luz or King. The blond witch was still too jumpy, baring his teeth and snarling at anything that tried to get close to him.

He calls her Miss Clawthorne, for Titan’s sake.

“—Hunter,” Eda finishes lamely.

Raine raises an eyebrow. “Your Hunter?”

“He’s uhhh, one of Luz’s friends who just so happens to be living with us. Not a big thing.”

Raine shoots her a deadpan look but strides forward anyway, kneeling next to the sleeping blond. They keep their voice to a low murmur, “Should we wake him? That can’t be comfortable for his neck. He’ll probably be sore later.”

“Eh, let him rest. This is more sleep than he usually gets.” Eda steps closer, kneeling down on his other side. It’s the side that has his scar, the slightly raised red tissue standing out even more so than usual now that he wasn’t constantly moving. She’s almost asked him how he got it, but he’s clearly sensitive about the subject. She’s seen the similar marks on his arms, and something tells her there are a whole lot more scars that he’s hiding.

It doesn’t take a genius to figure out who gave them to him.

Still, it’s hard to ignore just how young he looks. When he’s stripped of all of his snappy comebacks, quick defenses, and that guarded demeanor Belos forced onto him, he’s reduced to exactly what he should be:

A kid.

“Oh!” Raine startles in surprise. Eda looks up to see the cardinal palisman fluttering down from above them, carrying a few leaves in its beak. It hops down onto Hunter’s lap and deposits the leaves in the little growing pile on his leg.

A smile worms its way onto Eda’s face. She runs a finger across the little bird’s head, “Trying to keep him warm, huh?” The bird lets out a trilling note of confirmation. She lets the bird be, turning back to Raine, “I think Rascal’s got this covered. If he hasn’t come in before nightfall I’ll come out and get ‘em.”

The bard casts one last glance down at the sleeping boy before they stand. “Y’know, he kind of reminds me of someone.”

“Oh yeah?” Eda weaves her arm through Raine’s as the pair reassumes their walk.

“Yeah,” Raine hums. “He kind of has the same build as someone I met when I was held hostage in the Emperor’s palace. The Golden Guard. Did you hear that he ran away from the palace? There've been rumors that the Emperor himself is tearing apart the Right Arm looking for him.”

“Uh, about that...”

Raine stops, turning to look at her square in the face. Eda gives them a sheepish, toothy grin.

“Oh my god,” Raine says. “You adopted the Golden Guard?”

“Hey now, adopted is a very strong word—”

The bard cuts her off with a delighted laugh. “How am I not surprised?” Eda feels heat rise to her face, but can’t help but return Raine’s infectious smile. “Only you, Eda. Only you.”

The third time it happens, Eda’s passing through the upstairs hallway, intent on curling up into her nest for an afternoon nap of her own. She hears a shuffling noise as she passes by the glorified storage closet that they gave Hunter as a room, and can’t resist a peek inside.

What she finds is definitely…not what she was expecting. Hunter is laying flat on his back on the floor, his feet elevated on the little cot they’d given him. Yeesh, that couldn’t be comfortable. Soft snores woosh past his open lips, his face turned toward a crystal ball that’s playing some cartoon he must have been watching before he fell asleep.

His body is nearly covered in stuffed animals.

“King,” Eda hisses. The horned perpetrator is in the middle of dumping his entire army onto the blond witch’s chest, pinning down his arms with plushies. “What did I tell you about burying people alive?”

The demon pauses from where he’s been slowly arranging his army over Hunter’s sleeping form. “He’s got plenty of room to breathe! I didn’t cover his face,” King protests. “Can’t subjugate someone who’s dead.”

“No subjugating—” your brother, she almost says, “—Hunter.”

King squints at her, but then grumbles and starts slowly taking the stuffed animals off the boy’s body. Crisis averted, Eda slips back out into the hall, mind swirling. That was the second time she’d almost referred to Hunter as hers in passing. The feeling is too raw to speak out loud yet, but there’s a growing warmth in her as she watches Hunter acclimate to his surroundings in the Owl House. With every day that goes by, he’s more comfortable around her, around Luz and King and Hooty, and he’s starting to come out of his shell. He’s growing softer, less quick to snarl, becoming more Hunter and less Golden Guard.

Unconsciously, Eda’s started viewing him as part of their little family. Two weeks ago, that thought would have made her uncomfortable. Now, she welcomes it with open arms.

Ugh, she’s getting so soft.

The fourth time it happens is when Eda’s flying home from visiting Lilith. She’s only been gone for the day, and is hoping that leaving Luz in charge hasn’t led to any freak fires, the resurrection of the dead, or other various natural disasters. Unfortunately, even her most responsible kid is pretty reckless, so Eda’s expectations are set pretty low.

It’s probably sometime around 2 a.m. when she makes it home sweet home. She swoops in close, intent on landing on the front door but stilling mid-air when she sees something on the roof of the tower. Even from up here, it’s not hard to distinguish the form of a looming body.

Eda’s heart leaps into her throat and she takes Owlbert down into a dive. Her body is tense when she lands, her staff already aimed toward the person lurking by the edge of the roof. “Alright listen bucko, you better step back or—wait.” She sees what looks like a lump of feathers sitting on top of the person’s head, and Eda squints in the darkness. She quickly pulls out a light glyph, sending the tiny ball of sun forward.

“Hunter?!” Eda’s tense posture relaxes. The kid doesn’t answer, and it takes her a beat to figure out why. He’s dead asleep, slumped precariously over the telescope they use for stargazing. Eda has no idea how he’s even standing at all. Kid probably had a ton of practice of falling asleep on his feet during long, boring meetings with the Emperor.

“Wakey, wakey.” She places her hand on his shoulder, gently, but he wakes up with a full-body jerk, startling the palisman on top of his head. The cardinal chirps once in irritation, fluttering to rest on Eda’s shoulder instead.

Hunter’s eyes are wild for a moment until he seems to register where he is and who he’s with. He relaxes then, letting out a yawn so huge it would put any lion to shame. “…Eda?”

“The one and only,” Eda says, ignoring how her heart squeezes at the kid finally calling her by her name. “Wanna tell me why you’re up here in the middle of the night?”

“Waitin’ for you,” he mumbles, voice rough with sleep. His eyelids drop and he sways dangerously on his feet. “Wanted to… t’make sure y’got home safe.”

The warmth in her chest expands and eclipses her entire body in that fuzzy feeling she gets whenever one of her kids does something particularly adorable. Thank Titan it’s dark and Hunter is too out of it to notice the smile that spreads across her face. If he was fully awake, Eda gets the feeling that A) he probably never would have admitted that he was worried about her, and B) would have snapped at her for smiling at him like that. “Well, I’m home now, so let’s get you to bed before you topple over.”

Eda wraps her arm around his waist and nudges him along, practically carrying him back downstairs, their palismen following close behind. She doesn’t mind. Someone had to make sure he didn’t fall off the roof.

“Night, kid,” she says, tucking him under the blankets on his cot. Hunter doesn’t respond, already having slipped back into unconsciousness. And if she brushes his bangs tenderly out of his face, no one ever has to be the wiser.

The fifth time it happens, Eda’s gotten used to it. It's not that Hunter doesn’t sleep, she’s come to realize. He just falls asleep in weird places. Why, she has no idea, but honestly, the kid looked so tired all the time, she wasn’t going to question it. They had bigger things to worry about.

The Day of Unity is just around the corner, and Belos has become more irritating than ever.

Eda hadn’t even thought that was possible for him, but apparently, it was. The scouts around Bonesborough have tripled, their captains leading more and more raids, butting into shops to check everyone’s papers, and invading random districts.

Oddly, Belos’s priorities seem to have shifted. He’s still sending out grunts to round up any wild witches, but the guards have been playing a weird sort of hide-and-seek, going beyond just patrolling the marketplaces to actually tearing into people’s homes. From what she’s heard, the guards never take anything, just searching the place top-to-bottom before leaving empty-handed and moving on to the next house.

Belos was looking for something.

And unfortunately, Eda’s got a pretty good idea of what he’s after.

Said thing just so happens to be slumped across from her at the kitchen table, dead to the world. It’s late into the night, and most of the kids have already gone to sleep. Too on edge to lie down, Eda’s been keeping herself busy by concocting more potions while the late-night news plays on her crystal ball in the background.

Hunter, striving to be helpful, volunteered to stay up and help.

It wasn’t long before the kid slowly started to nod off, face supported by his palm as his eyelids started to droop. He’d been in the middle of mixing two ingredients—highly flammable ingredients, mind you—and Eda plucked the vials out of his lax grip just in time. Honestly, it was a miracle the kid never killed himself in the Emperor’s Coven with how randomly he falls asleep.

He probably never got the chance to sleep at all, a voice reminds her. She remembers how dead-exhausted Lily was during her first few days at the Owl House. It was probably safe to assume that the Emperor had a habit of running the head of his Coven into the ground.

Hunter has been picking up on Belos’s tightening grip, too. He’s been getting quieter, more reserved. He’s come to the same conclusion that Eda has: the Emperor was tearing apart the whole of the Isles to get him back.

Why, though, is anyone’s guess. Hunter has long since explained that his uncle always said that the Titan had big plans for him, and it probably has something to do with the Day of Unity, but beyond that, the Emperor had always kept him in the dark. Luz has a crazy theory involving clones and blood magic, but that sounds like it’s a plot point straight out of one of her Azura books. King thinks Belos wants his artificial staff back, and Hooty predicts the Emperor is just sad because all his Coven leaders are leaving him to join Hooty’s superior best friends club.

Whatever the reason, Eda’s made it pretty clear that she’s not gonna bend to Belos’s intimidation tactics and turn him over. That smarmy gold jerk could set the whole Isles on fire and Eda still wouldn’t hand him over. Hunter’s part of the Bad Girl’s Coven now, and Belos can just suck it. And she’s not afraid to say that to his stupid face, either.

So when the cauldron at the end of the table that holds the scrying potion suddenly begins bubbling on its own, Eda may very well get her chance.

She’s up on her feet in an instant, dashing to the other end of the table just as the steam rising off the potion begins to warp into a familiar figure.

“Edalyn,” Belos greets, his voice sharp like a dagger. “I do hope I’m not interrupting your evening, but I needed a word with you.”

Ugh, scrying potions weren’t supposed to work both ways! Belos was too damn powerful. He could probably peer into their lives as much as they could peer into his.

“Sorry, but now’s a bad time,” Eda shoots back. “Why don’t you hang up and call back literally never?”

“It’s come to my attention that you have something of mine,” the masked man continues smoothly as if she hadn’t spoken. “I’d ever so appreciate it if you gave it back.”

Eda’s lip curls back, feeling the itch of feathers poking out of her joints. She wants to shift into her harpy form and leap through the potion to claw out his eyes. “Sorry, Belos,” she says, dripping smug bravado, “We wild witches operate solely under the laws of finders keepers. Your kid? Mine now.”

Eda expects that the Emperor would very much like to vaporize her. “Make your threats wisely, Owl Lady. You have no idea what you’re up against. Everything will be easier for you and your little friends if you just hand the boy back over to me.”

“Fat chance.” Eda throws back her shoulders and shoots him a sharp grin. “Sounds to me like you’re threatening one of my kids, and we weirdos stick together. Going after one of us is basically asking for all of us to bring you down. Remember how well that went last time? How my human cracked your mask and publicly humiliated you during your big let’s-turn-Eda-to-stone ceremony?”

The Emperor looks as though he has some choice words to say, but Eda doesn’t care. Hunter is her kid now. She glowers at him through that mist, voice lowering in with deadly promise. “You’ll have to drag him back to your Coven over my dead body.”

“That can be arranged,” sneers Belos.

“Try me, antler boy.” Then Eda whacks the cauldron and sends it tipping over the edge of the table. The connection is immediately severed as the potion goes splattering over the hardwood, and the resounding CLANG of the bowl makes Hunter shoot violently out of sleep.

“Huh?! Whassit—Eda? What happened? Are you alright?”

“Fine, kid,” she says, swallowing down the rage that’s still bubbling hot in her throat. “’S alright, just got a little clumsy and knocked over a cauldron. Sorry for waking you.”

“Sorry for falling asleep,” Hunter responds. He grabs a towel and hurries to clean up the oozing purple goo.

Eda waves him off, “Eh, I don’t mind. You kids need your rest. Growing bodies and all that.”

Hunter still hesitates, looking at her for a beat too long as if double-checking to make sure she wasn’t really upset. Eda holds back a sigh, a twinge of pity flickering through her that he’d even have to look at her like that in the first place. All the damage from Belos couldn’t be wrapped up in a month, she supposed.

She snatches up the cauldron, still dripping with the ruined potion. Peachy. She’ll have to call Lilith to get her scrying potion recipe. Though maybe not having this in the house was a good idea. Eda doesn’t want to risk His Royal Highness dropping in on any more unexpected house calls.

“Eda?”

She looks up at Hunter. The kid chewing on his bottom lip, wringing the half-soiled towel between scarred hands.

“I just…I wanted to say thank you,” Hunter says shyly. “I know having me here hasn’t exactly been easy—not only because of the fugitive thing, but because I’m…” He flounders for a moment, and Eda can only pretend to know what’s going through his mind right now. “…me,” he finishes finally. “You’ve been so kind and patient with me, it’s so much more than I deserve, and no matter what happens next—”

“Hey, no.” Eda cuts him off with a swift and gentle beratement. She sets the cauldron on the table and crowds closer to him, curling one hand around his cheek. The kid automatically leans into the touch, and Eda can’t help but wonder how Belos could have ever hurt a child who was as sweet as this one.

“You may be one bratty little shit, but you’re my bratty little shit. And Mama says you deserve all the smothering that comes with being a child of the Owl Lady.”

Then, to prove her point, she swoops down and quickly places feather-light kisses on the tip of his nose, forehead, and his scar, until Hunter squawks and shoves her away. He’s practically glowing, flushed all the way to the tips of his ears.

“Gross,” he snaps, rubbing furiously at his face. “I’m never helping you with your potions ever again.”

“I’ll accept your terms. Now get upstairs, it’s way past your bedtime.”

“I don’t have a bedtime, I’m not a baby.” Hunter sticks out his tongue but obeys, slipping out of the kitchen and disappearing into the rest of the house. Eda shakes her head as she watches him go.

Kids. What could ya do with ‘em?

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