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𝔸𝕤𝕤𝕚𝕘𝕟𝕞𝕖𝕟𝕥 𝔻𝕦𝕖: ℙ𝕣𝕠𝕛𝕖𝕔𝕥 𝔹𝕝𝕦𝕖

ᴀꜱʜᴇʀ x ʀᴇᴀᴅᴇʀ - 𝙽𝚘𝚗𝚎

can you all IMAGINE being Vaggie???

you're an exorcist. You're supposed to kill demons. You're an angel. All you're life you've followed the first man, and heard tales about the dangers of questioning heaven. Tales about Lucifer. You know he's not to be messed with and that he's the king of hell. That heaven FEARS him to a degree.

then you show compassion to ONE demon once, against Adam's orders, and boom. Now you're cast out. You're stuck in hell. Oops this cute girl shows up??? She's taking care of you?? Clearly your intuition that maybe the sinners didn't all deserve to be killed were correct. She's nicer than a lot of people in heaven-WHAT DO YOU MEAN THIS PRECIOUS BEAN IS LUCIFER'S DAUGHTER???

clearly heaven was wrong about a lot of things, so if the big bad lucifer has a daughter this sweet, maybe something is up with him???

And then you meet him, and like, meeting your partner's parents is already nerve wracking and this is supposed to be THE king of hell, THE fallen angel, THE GUY THAT HEAVEN FEARS and the first thing he does is completely flub his words out of excitement, mispronounces your name, hugs you and calls you pretty???

like how weird is that to process????

▀▄▀▄▀▄Ageing Differences▄▀▄▀▄▀(𝚐𝚗!𝙼𝙲)

𝙲𝚑𝚊𝚛𝚊𝚌𝚝𝚎𝚛'𝚜 𝙸𝚗𝚌𝚕𝚞𝚍𝚎𝚍: 𝚀𝚒𝚞/𝙰𝚞𝚝𝚞𝚖𝚗 𝙻𝚒𝚗 𝚃𝚊𝚖𝚊𝚛𝚊𝚌𝚔/𝚂𝚙𝚊𝚛𝚔𝚕𝚎𝚜 𝙱𝚊𝚞𝚖𝚊𝚗𝚗 R𝚎𝚗 𝙼𝚞𝚛𝚛𝚊𝚢 𝙳𝚘𝚛𝚘𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚊/𝙶𝚛𝚊𝚗𝚗𝚢/𝙾𝚖𝚒 𝙱𝚊𝚞𝚖𝚊𝚗𝚗 𝙾𝚙𝚊𝚕 𝚂𝚎𝚌𝚘𝚗𝚍 𝙼𝙲 𝚂𝚎𝚌𝚘𝚗𝚍 (𝚏𝚛𝚘𝚖 𝙾𝙻:𝙽&𝙵)

𝙲𝚘𝚗𝚌𝚎𝚙𝚝:

Thank you so much for being patient requester, I hope you enjoy! ^^

(𝚃𝚑𝚒𝚛𝚍 𝙿𝚎𝚛𝚜𝚘𝚗)

It had been a seemingly normal day in Golden Grove for MC, them hanging around with Ren as the two applied for colleges. Sure they were only seventeen- but it's better to start early and have their future secured by graduation. That's when, during a short snack break Ren brought up one of the concerns they've been having recently to MC.

Apparently- Autumn and Sparkles had grown severly distant as of recently, but because of junior highschooler stress they had failed to take proper notice. Sure Ren wasn't the type to care about Tamarack all too much, but their concern for Qiu's new behavior had shown true when they got the chance to talk more properly with MC over their holiday break.

Now this had put a new priority on MC's shoulders, as the older sibling figure they wanted to make sure something didn't happen in their absence- and hopefully repair the relationship between the two that seemed to fray with time.

With a new found urgency, they were quick to dismiss themself- taking their stuff with them and click in their rollerskates. Not the same ones from when they were younger, obviously- but normal shoes were less efficient. Promising to swing by again tomorrow so the two can continue their college applications together, they sped down the sidewalk towards the all too familiar cul-de-sac.

(𝙼𝙲'𝚜 𝙿𝚎𝚛𝚜𝚙𝚎𝚌𝚝𝚒𝚟𝚎)

Making it back to the cul-de-sac felt like a longer journey this time around- the guilt of being so distant from Autumn and Sparkles for long enough to not notice this behavioral shift personally was concerning. I had fallen back into my old habits again, closing myself off and allowing myself to on go autopilot for school, and this seems to have been karma's rude awakening for me. I should've seen the signs, been there to stop whatever caused the rift between the two, and continued being the bridge between the town and the forest.

Skidding to a rough holt- rubber tires screeching with complaint, before my house, I take off the skate attachments of my shoes and my bag. Quickly storing the wheels away in the bag and discreetly hiding the bag in the bushes beyond the fenced in front yard. Taking a few calming breaths I turn towards Qiu's home, going straight to the backyard where I knew they'd be since dance would've been canceled for the holidays.

My shoes crushing the fallen leaves being the only sound indicating my arrival to the slowly rotting fort. Careful to not knock too harshly, I rap my knuckle against the wood in a planned pattern.

knock-knock-pause-tap-knock

The fort wobbled a bit as a familiar head of dark brown hair peaked over the edge, a look of surprise etched on their face- most likely not expecting my presence so suddenly. I give an apologetic smile and a short wave, "Hey- sorry for disappearing for a bit. Wanna talk?" I ask softly. With a begruding sigh Autumn backed up, making room for me to stand on the ladder and peak my head into the fort too small for both of us now we've both grown.

"Why are you here?" they asked, a bite to their tone- Ren wasn't kidding, they truly had changed a lot since being the little star child I had once known. Though despite everything- the way they curled into themself made it clear they were still the kid I knew back then. "Well? Are you just going to stand there?" they ask with a semi-harsh glare. "Right- sorry. I should probably explain where I've been, huh?" I prompt, rubbing the back of my neck anxiously- a habit I had picked up from the younger teen before me.

I was met with a stiff nod before they turned their head away, eyes closed- but I could tell they were still listening. "I don't know if you remember me telling you about how I instinctively deal with stress, but- to make a long story short... I essentially push everyone out and go into an autopilot mode which makes me focus only on the most minimally necessary things. Schoolwork, eating, hydrating, hygiene, ectara. I am genuinely sorry I wasn't here for you or Tamarack when you both needed me." I explain, guilt eating me from the inside out.

These two teens may not have been my blood family, but I was their older sibling and they my younger siblings. I felt obligated to be there should they have needed me- but I wasn't there, and now I had a mess to clean up.

"I remember you telling me about that- I thought you said you broke the habit?" Autumn looked back towards me, concern visible in their eyes- obviously remembering the stories of the major disrepair I fell into after awhile of autopiloting. "I thought I did, but highschool is- it's tough and old habits die hard. Now with holiday exams out of the way- I should be alright now that I've snapped out of it, but that's not why I came here today if I'm honest." I start, they nod- posture adjusting to be more comfortable.

"What- What happened with you and Sparkles? We don't have to talk about it if you don't want too, but I'm concerned. Even Ren is concerned for you both, which says a lot really." I say, pulling my upper body further into the fort- careful to not overstress the rickety building. With a sigh they roll their eyes, body language closing off again. "Nothing happened- we just...we clash. Guess the town's 'star' and the forest's 'keeper' were just too different." they explain shortly.

"You sure that's all?" I prompt gently, getting the feeling I wasn't getting the whole story from them. With a sigh of relucant defeat they scoot closer to me and the entrance of the fort. "She's so lucky MC. She's got supportive grandparents, she knows what she wants for herself, and she's not followed around by the people at school. I- I hate to admit it but I'm jealous of her. My parents are supportive- but busy, I'm confused on who I am- to hell with what I want to do with my future! I just...I want to go back to when things were easier." they ramble a bit, leaning their head against my shoulder.

"I see...did you try talking to her about this?" I ask softly, bringing a hair to card my fingers through their hair- an action I used to do to help them relax and sleep as a child. Shaking their head softly, they visibly relax a bit. "Everytime I tried before- it was like my throat would close up. I guess I was scared of hurting her feelings or something...I don't know." they say dismissively, but it was obvious that this had been burdening them for a long while.

"Okay. Thank you for telling me. Do you want me to help you talk to her soon? I still have to apologize to her for disappearing like I did- but afterwards I can help you both see eye to eye if you'd like." I offer, they hum and nod- curling into me like a cat, making me smile softly. "Okay- but for right now. It's time for you to get inside before you fall asleep out here and get caught in the night rain."

Helping them down I give them a gentle yet firm hug, before letting go and walking them to their door. Quick goodbyes were exchanged before the scent of rain wafted through the air, speaking with Tamarack would have to wait for tomorrow. Besides- her band group is preparing for the holiday show, she wouldn't be home at the moment.

(𝚃𝚒𝚖𝚎𝚜𝚔𝚒𝚙)

The next morning, despite my lackluster sleep, I awoke early- quickly entering the kitchen to make something for my later plan to speak to Tamarack before she had to go to band practice. She's always been a sucker for homemade goodies. With a steadily practiced hand I made my specialty brownies, seperating a few specifically to add edible glitter over the top of them- a thing I only did because and for of the forest queen.

With the treats packed away and midday steadily approaching, I get dressed and prepared for anything that may happen during me and Tama's conversation- or even for a lack of one. Quickly I made my way over to the Baumann residency, knocking on the door gently to not wake up anyone who was still asleep.

Luckily enough, Granny was the one to open the door for me- inviting me inside, taking the treats for her and her husband, and directing me that Tamarack was in her room. With quiet steps and calming breathes I go up the stairs carefully, instinctively going past the ones that creaked loudest. Reaching her all too familiar door, I knock delicately- the exact same pattern as I did the other day.

knock-knock-pause-tap-knock

"MC?? Is that you?" she asked through the door before opening it swiftly, the same shock I saw on Qiu's face yesterday was on her face now. "I- Why are you here? Is everything okay? Where were you?" she pulled me into her room, closing the door behind me as she asked her many questions at once.

With a soft sigh and smile I offer out the container of 'fairy' brownies to her. "I'm sorry for being really distant lately, I know words can be really weak so I hope the brownies help you forgive me or at least look past it. I fell into my old habits again- which isn't an excuse! I genuinely am very sorry for not being here for you or Autumn recently. Stress from school got to me and I was forced back into autopilot all over again." I explained with less details this time, knowing if I got too down the rabbit hole I'd lose her rather quickly.

Tamarack gently took the brownies from me, opening up the container and smelling the fresh brownie scent that wafted out. "I forgive you, but- there's another reason you're here isn't there? You still look anxious." she says, pointing towards my hands that were still shaking with nerves slightly. I give her a relieved smile as I put my hands on my hips and tilt my head a bit. "You've always been good at reading me, huh?" I chuckle softly, to which she follows shortly after.

We both take a seat on the edge of her bed. "Have you spoke with Qiu about it yet?" she asks, taking out a brownie to snack on in the mean time. Good thing she closed the door, or otherwise Granny would've scolded her for eaching such things before lunch. I nod, laying back on her bed. "I have. In fact- I wanted to ask you about something regarding them. If that's okay, I mean."

She motions for me to continue, too engaged with the chocolatey treat in her hand to answer properly at the moment. "What happened between you two while I was out of it? It apparentally got bad enough for Ren to notice and be concerned, so he brought it up with me the other day." my approach with Sparkles was less gentle than with Autumn, after all- she's never been one to hesitate with me.

Once she finished the brownie, she tucked the specialty treats away in her nightstand so that they'd be kept hidden from her grandparent's prying eyes. "I guess we both just- got busy? I'm not too sure...I know they've been going through some personal stuff. Last time I tried to be there for them like you were they just- pushed me away, so I gave them the space they wanted. We haven't spoken properly since." she explained as I sat back up on the bed- propped up on my elbows.

"Really? Huh- would you be willing to talk with them soon? I can't say much but...there's some stuff they've been a bit scared to bring up. I'll be there to mediate, and to help if either of you need it- but I don't want anything to keep you guys distanced from each other. Especially if I slip up again, especially once I get to college- neither of you should have to feel alone."

She looks down at her sleeves, messing with the lightly frayed fabric as she strugged. "I dunno- I don't really think they want to talk with me. Besides...our schedules rarely line up." Carefully I give her a gentle smile, sitting up fully and grabbing her hand delicately- massaging her knuckles to keep her from ruining the edges of her sweater any further. "I assure you- they do wanna talk to you. They're just...scared. A lot's going on in their head right now, and I bet the same is for you. Do you wanna talk about it?" I prompt, more gently than before.

She shakes her head and smiles softly- exposing her braces a little. "No. No. I'm alright- just the holiday show causing some stress, other than that there's nothing else going on. And if you're sure they want to talk- I'm willing to try. Just tell me when and I'll make sure I'm wherever we're doing this." she says softly, gripping my hand tighter for a few seconds. I nod and give her a genuine smile, we continued to catch up for a bit before Granny came upstairs saying that they had to leave for practice.

Giving Tamarack a tight hug before she got into her grandmother's car, I wave goodbye as the two drive away from the cul-de-sac. A feeling of pride bubbling through my chest, my guilt washing away if only for a moment. "I can fix this for them. I know I can. I just need to make sure we all have a time together during the break- maybe a sleepover at my house? That'd probably be best- it'd most likely be more comfortable there." I mutter to myself as I walked back to my house.

Upon entering I was quick to go upstairs, pull out a notebook and take notes- jotting down ideas for what could be done and when it should happen. Maybe the night after the holiday show? If I can convince Tama's grandparents then we should be in the clear- unless Autumn has plans for then already...which I doubt at the moment but you never know.

(𝚃𝚑𝚒𝚛𝚍 𝙿𝚎𝚛𝚜𝚘𝚗)

Unbeknownst to MC- their mother stood right outside their bedroom door, listening in. Reminding herself to give both Lin and Baumann residences later that night- sure it was a bit...underhanded, but maybe she could help her child in their desperate attempts to mend the tattered and worn relationship between the two younger friends.

I mean- she's who they got their determination from. Of course she'd help, after all- it was her main job to be there should her kid ever need her. Her pride and joy who would drown themself in notebook paper tonight before bringing the idea up to her either that evening at dinner or tomorrow during breakfast. Either way- she'd play along as if she hadn't known before, just as she'd always done when MC was but a child.

𝚆𝚘𝚛𝚍 𝙲𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚝: 2,536

Hello readers! I'm debating on something- I know I turned off anon features and have marked 18+ content as commission only BUT I might be brain storming something. Nothing is confirmed yet- but I might attempt to do something where I post spice once a month and allow anon asks/requests for a day or two every other week. Once I've finished the requests currently in my inbox of course. I will let ya'll know if I choose to actually do this, cause I think it's a chill idea.

someone is happy to see you ✨ qiu going from moody to sunshine just looking at MC is hilarious to me

(was replaying the demo and i got reminded of this one i did a while ago!)