CHARLIE !! @beamingroyal - Tumblr Blog

why does young!char and luci get all the bonding time? we have some perfectly good royalty here in the present !!! @beamingroyal

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For it being the Christmas season, Charlie has been remarkably unspirited. Sure, she threw presents in every crevice, and decked the halls in an unnecessary amount of mistletoe, but when it came to the concept of bonding in general, Charlie had been remarkably absent from the lot of it.

Trust exercises, group songs, silliness of pranks and whimsy... even Vaggi had been slightly concerned when she mentioned that Charlie had recently kicked her out after a slight verbal skirmish.

For one of their first Christmases in recent memory, you'd think Charlie, endlessly obsessed with the concept of family memories, would be in Lucifer's eyeline at all hours.

Perhaps it's time to knock on the Princess's door? This amount of seclusion, if done from Lucifer, would have absolutely gotten a wellness-daughter-check in the past.

It seemed the two Morningstar's had swapped for the day.

Lucifer had been feeling in the sinsmas spirit since he woke up, which was relatively early! He was extremely happy to have received gifts from his wonderful daughter and was excited to see her during the day.

However, the king waited all morning until the clock moved into the afternoon. The seraphim was growing worried, this wasn't like her at all. It was indeed time to check on her.

Lucifer teleported from the hotel lobby to Charlie's bedroom door. He had seen a concerned Vaggie from earlier, so he knew something must have happened. Taking careful precaution, he knocked on the door softly, keeping his voice calm yet chipper.

"Merry Sinsmas, CharChar! You doing okay? Can your old man come in to see ya?"

Biological functions in Hell were complicated, as they weren't needed, but they were hellish enough to exist. Sinners couldn't have children here, not easily anyway, in a biological sense. They already had that chance in their Living Life, yet they got the function, because they were in hell, and deserved every extra spike of horror. The Sinner's, when willingly talking about it, mentioned that it was less horrible than their Earth periods, because at least these types happened Once A Year instead of monthly. Sure, there was much more pain, but it was hell!! When wasn't there??

Charlie, who didn't have Much to compare it with the Earth version, and Had birth supplying functions, did Not agree with the Sinner's opinions. Most hellborns didn't agree either. It was hard to explain, especially to Vaggi, considering she was a damn Angel , who didn't GET periods .

It was mental horror, to be a feminine hellborn .

The Princess's lights were off. At the bottom of her door, there was a definite sense of her power that seemed to just . . Linger in the air. Excess from her room. She seemed to be shoved into her demonic form without much hope of leaving it on her own accord. The magic festered like dust.

The demon, horns big and sprouting, tail motionless, was distinctly frozen in a spiral of mental and physical pain. Moving felt as if it would make it endlessly worse.

Pajama pants, another crop top as even her wings were grouchy during her period, both are fluffy, soft clothing. No fluffy socks, too much texture. Both wonderful Christmas presents from Vaggi.

She's not acting like regal royalty today, not mentally or physically.

The Nephilim, hair a complete mess, pulled her head from her massive and heavy comforter, her eyes, yellow and slitted, squinted at the door.

Oh right... It's Sinsmas, and... she does miss him, but... she's not good company to anyone.

"Go away!" Charlie managed to croak loudly enough at the door, before hiding her face again, horns poking out in even, long curling.

She's such a horrible daughter ...

Lucifer felt a pang in his heart at the sudden dismissal from his daughter. He could hear the demonic tone reverberate through the walls, immediately heightening his worry.

I don't want to go against her wishes, but she sounds upset. What if she's stuck in her demonic form? What if she hates you again- did I do something? Oh satan- it's because I ate her favourite sweets isn't it- No, think of the important things! What if she's being overtaken by a demon eating parasite that's paralysed her and took over her mind and VOICE-

"NYOPE- FATHER VETO! COMING IN!"

He teleported himself into the room with his hand SLAPPED across his eyes.

"Please tell me you're decent-"

Despite his panic about the parasite, he still waited for a response as he wanted to respect as much privacy as he could in this panicked state.

You know, if you told Charlie this train of thought, she would completely get it. Though she was yet to be aware that he ate her sweets, oi!

"ACK!"

But for now, the Nephilim made a loud noise in alarm, her power on almost hellishly warm in defense against the sudden intruder. Stifling against the fallen angel, until Charlie managed to register in her current mood of self-loathing cycle that the intruder was indeed just her father.

"hn..."

With her current state, the interaction of Charlie's reverbs and aura did nothing to Lucifer, realistically, but she still felt bad for the oven temperature warmth .

With a twitch of her tail, she pulled her power of hellish warmth away from Luci. Her bright hair poked just enough over her covers to show her piercing eyes, to her very long horns. She squinted at him with obvious reluctance that she was allowing him in her room at all.

Half a mind to set his hat on fire, but the minuscule amount of clear-headedness in her brain pulled her away from such foolish ideas. Though the pain tearing at her soul caused her to refrain from any more niceties.

"Yes!" Charlie heaved a dramatically windy sigh, pulling the covers down to gesture in tired arm movements at her fluffy pajamas.

Her eyes were disgruntled as she rolled them, before moving to hide herself completely with the comforter once again. Turning away from her father, she curled in on herself, muttering contents that Lucifer could probably still hear.

"Fully clothed, still breathing, haven't disowned you, or sold my damn soul in the last thirty seconds. So you really don't need to be here, you can simply just Leave."

Squeezing her eyes shut, everything was terrible, it wasn't his fault, but he chose to be here.. At least it was nice to know that he cared, when this happened when Mom was around, she left sweets and a heating pad, but didn't do much else. Did Lucifer even understand the specific illness??? Or was he just being her dad??

"Please." She pulled her power tightly against herself, trying not to touch Lucifer with its overwhelming heat. "I'm... I'm not having a good day. I'm sorry, leaving would be better for both of us."

Lucifer jumped at the alarmed noise Charlie made, panicking that he made a terrible move by teleporting in. Thankfully, she reassured him that she was clothed and he lowered his hand from his eyes with a releived sigh.

It was quickly followed up with a short gasp, noticing how upset his daughter looked. Upset? Angry? Really just a barrel of emotions. Either way, the king was deeply concerned, especially with the heat she was emanating, not that it bothered him.

The way she spoke to him was new, but oddly familiar, though he couldn't put a memory to mind. Instead, he walked over and sat on the edge of her bed, feeling the heat subside but not disappear. He could tell she was trying to contain it and looked to reassure her that she didn't need to do that.

Except, he sat on her suggestion that he leave for a moment, her soft plea making his heart hurt.

"Oh sweetheart,,,,, you don't have to apologise for having a rough time of it. I'm more than happy to help if I can, but if you really want me to leave, you've got it. I understand needing time," he sighs softly, not standing up just yet to give her a second to think on it.

"You also don't gotta strain your powers, Charlie, it'll hurt you more than me, I promise ya that," he chuckled, trying to lift the mood before dropping it and continuing. "You already look in pain- just let it flow and relax, bottling it up won't help, ya silly." His voice was soft and calm when discussing this.

She wished he were angry with her; she wished that this was once again a specific sinner, barging into her room to mock her. Just so she had a reason to yell at someone. To scream out all of this festered energy, maybe burn some specifically important object so that some assortment of feud could live for weeks on end.

But instead, her Dad was nice, and Charlie could only feel an assortment of guilt fester along with everything else.

"It's--" She begrudgingly took a deep breath, allowing some of the air around her to soften, it helped only slightly, before she winced again. "It's not my usual collection of power." She informed him, sounding pained yet informative.

"It's-- It's my cycle, can't calm it, not when there will be excess energy popping up again, endless spirals of.. bleh, it's... it's natural." Hard to find a way to feel happy like this, for her tethering of mental and physical, and even soul-based cramping to be a constant.

Beginnings were always rough. Genetics with Angel/Demon cosmetics refused to work kindly for her.

She pulled her head free from the covers, messily grabbing a pillow for her to shove her face into, stomach against the bed. Loud grumbling as her Horns hit the bedposts.

.... But, him existing here was a comfort, sorta. Family was always important to her, even now.

"...You can stay, but only if you want to, i'll.. i'll understand if you go." Charlie glanced up at her father, shrugging her shoulders with a weak smile. "...Sorry about ruining Sinsmas."

Cycle,,,,, OH!

"I-It's happening again? Oh shitshitshit- I don't have any of the stuff here for you, h-hold on!"

With a quick teleportation, Lucifer had poofed out and poofed back into the room in a minute or so. He had kept a note from Lilith about what she used to bring Charlie whenever this cycle happened. Since his wife insisted she help her, Lucifer wasn't exactly clued in on what these items did for his daughter, but he hoped they were the answer!

He walked over to set a hot water bottle with a duckie cover onto the bed. A box of treats, both sweet and sour, depending on what she wanted in the moment, and an ice pack for any spots that got too warm, was placed onto her nightstand.

Lucifer froze in place as she talked about sinsmas. The seraphim, turning towards his daughter and raising a finger to wag a "no".

"Nope, none of that, CharChar. You, little misses, have nothing to be sorry about. Sinsmas is still going on happily, and I'm here to make sure you still have a wonderful time!,,,,, Do you,,,,, wanna talk about anything? Is this stuff helpful?" he asked, gesturing to the items on Lilith's list.

Aaaah mistake-- so many mistakes!! "Wait--"

As soon as she witnesses the teleport, her mind easily dug up purposely hidden memories of her Dad in the past. The man who had been more panicked than her for most of her cycles in the centuries she had them.

Charlie slowly shuffled, turning to lay on her back, wondering if she needed to summon Alastor to distract her father. In the past, this always tended to be a Thing with her father, so she and Mom mutually agreed to keep them out of their cycles for the stress on his heart.

With... with a lack of Mom...

He was surprisingly mellow, she spotted the items in his arms and raised her head off the pillow, blinking slowly like a bewildered cat. He-- oh, he was wonderfully prepared, but-- hm .

She gently grabbed the treats and water bottle, setting them on the table with the ice pack. They were beautiful items, perfect for her usually, should she wish to have a long nap, but she's so...

"Its--" She huffs. "Those will definitely help, you're a peach, Dad, thank you, but--" The Princess, huffed, pulling her head up to glare at the ceiling, her hooves shoving her comforter aside.

"Talking won't help, I'm so aware of everything!" Charlie complained, leaning back on her pillow, gesturing at her vessel at hand. "What I need is to Not be in my own brain or body, and that's just not possible, distractions are not that all encompassing!"

Her power flares again, and the candles she has nearby manage to light up on their own accord. Charlie notices and huffs, throwing her hooves on top of the bundle of comforter, glaring at the ceiling with crossed arms. Her tail twitched with agitated thwaps beneath her.

Everything sucks, she feels miserable, and possibly dramatic. "Can't experience joy ever again." It's a suffering little whine, with a small pout.

Lucifer's expression shifted a few times as he was told the items would be helpful, though that "but" sent him back to feeling useless. It wasn't until Charlie explained her feelings and lack of joy did he finally screw on a thinking brain.

No need to rely on her mother's list, he could figure this out himself!

He scanned his daughter's position, eyes glancing at her hooves on the comforter.

Be not in the brain or body,,,,, Oh!

"I've got it! Don'tcha worry, my little fireball, one working distraction coming up!"

Now, Lucifer would have wanted to scribble her tummy to immediately redirect her mind away from the pain, but since these were hell cramps, he felt it was best to stay away from her abdomen, just in case it caused more pain.

Instead, the king moved down to sit near the bottom of the bed. Reaching over and pulling Charlie's legs to rest on his. Two fingers gently scratched the bottom of her hoof, the other hand holding her calves in place with care.

Tickles in specific areas of certain current pain are, at the moment, not advised, but certainly when you've gotten deeper into it!! When Charlie is happily managing cuddles and physical affection without hating the world. But for now? This works.

Charlie blinked slowly as she watched her father, a small, puzzled look on her face. What distraction was he thinking of? Telling a story? Sure, Charlie could maybe try to get involved in it, but it would take some rather intense focus. She can't manage that much focus even on a normal day!!

But.. what... OH.

Charlie's eyes widened, her hands pulling together as she frantically covered her mouth, a sharply bright noise leaving her throat. The room seemed less warm, but Charlie could barely tell with the sudden orange flush on her face, showing through the cracks of her covered hands.

Trying her damn Best to not flinch from the gentle touch, her tail thwapping against the bed. "Thahat wohohorks!" She squeaked, muffled.

Smart, brilliant, probably gonna make her develop a lee mood when she has her yearly periods now.

Hoooly shit, Charlie watched with avidly focused eyes, her mind suddenly on nothing else but the slow scratches. The princess was attempting her best to relax against the pillow, trying to remember how to breathe correctly with just the Mere threat of his claws.

"Dahahad!" She chirped out, giddy and shy. She had forgotten how his claws had felt!!! Ack!!!

Lucifer had what could only be described as an evil yet soft grin on his face. He wasn't intending to be mean, but if it helped distract her from the hellish pain, he would happily flip the villainous switch!

"Whaaaaaaaat?" He parroted her tone, "You said it was working! Aw, don't try and hide that blush, sweetheart, it won't change effective this spot of yours is~"

The king brought both her hooves together, using his forearm to hold them down carefully. On one hoof, he kept up his tickly claws, trailing them up and down her soles and wiggling into her toes. On the other, he pressed his fingers into her padded sole to squeeze and send a ticklish massage.

"Remind me, CharChar, which worked best? You know how senile your "Old Man" gets, wouldn't want to use the wrong technique when battling those evil cramps!"

That's not the reason she was covering her mouth, it was more so the growing fang dilemma, and her continued embarrassment about their existence in her wide smiles. Long enough to stick out and look incredibly silly without her permission during her wider tickled smiles. Extra embarrassed about them during period-brain insecurity season.

Charlie quickly shook her head, nope.

Both methods worked incredibly well, Charlie had been filled with soft tittering giggles that she allowed to grow into bubbly little laughter, yet there was a Clear Winner with the claws. Her toes flinched with every scrape of the claw, sending immediate snorts that didn't hide the obvious winner.

Her dad's teasing was evil, blush easily blooming up to her ears. She hated that she had missed it, even if it made her so damn warm.

"Hehehehehehehe-- SNRRK-- yohohohou lihihihiar!"

Charlie playfully glared at him, this was a recent memory! Goof!!

She just desperately prayed that he actually forgot how randomly more ticklish her dewclaws were compared to the rest of the hooves. Or the sheer effectiveness of his feathers in this specific spot.

Shaky breath, she can do this. This is a tame spot!! Relaaax... Breathe...

"Ah good, you don't think I'm senile or old! Thanks Charliiiiiiiiiie~"

Sneaky tactic of being confirmed to be a cool, Not Centuries Old Father success!

He took great pride in knowing more about his daughter these days, their recent tussle with Alastor really opened a new door into her tickle spots! Who knew they could evolve over time?

Lucifer changed his other hand to join in on the scribbling claws, being careful not to hurt the sensitive pads of her hooves. The wriggling fingers moved up to her dewclaw, letting his claws skitter and dip along the spot.

"Sooooooooo, how's Vagite?- sorry, Vaggie! You two got any plans this weekend? Maybe a cute date to the movies? Walk through a park- oh! I could make you both a chocolate fountain if you want to snack on strawberries and have some girl talk!"

As if her father wasn't already displaying his own version of "girl talk" with the way he casually talked with the princess, completely acting as though he was tickling her hooves with precision. It's one way to take her mind off things, so Lucifer was going to deliver!

"weeeeeeehehehell--" She tilted her head playfully, giggles tittering, but her eyes still sparkled with mischief. "M-Mahaybe nohot sehehenile, buhut dehehefinitly ohOHOLD--"

Charlie's playful taunts turn into a frantically squeaky squeal as Lucifer's claws skitter and poke at her dewclaws. She's immediately cackling up a joyously louder storm. Her eyes squeezed shut against how tickly the sensation is.

"HCH---hehehehehEHEHEHE--"

Unable to keep her arms against her mouth anymore, she frantically slides down against the bed and covers her face with a pillow. Hooves only slightly sliding out of Lucifer's grip. Her arms are up on the other side of the pillow, being a good, squeezing grip against the sensitive horrors of Luci's claws.

Every other spot is undefended like this.

Polite enough to respond to a casual conversation, she shoves her head to the side to respond to Lucifer without her voice being muffled. Yet thankfully still hiding her mouth.

"OHOHOHOUR AHAHAHANNIVERSARY IHIHIHIS SOHOHOHOHOON!" She tells him with a giggly squeal. Technically not their actual anniversary; they never officially got into a relationship, they just someday Existed in one. But it's the day she found Vaggi.

#crown threads

melodicruler

SUNG NOTES <3

HELLO!! I AM NIX/PERI! I am 20 years old, who has they/them pronouns!!! :D This is a silly goofy tickle rp blog for the character LILLITH from Hazbin Hotel!!

MY WRITERS IS @ nixdolly !!! <3

CHARLIE ACC @ beamingroyal !!!!

VOX ACC @ cackledtelevision !!!!!!

This account will not be writing any assortment of lewd contents, nor anything that is within character as truly non-consenting. I aim to keep things light and silly!!!!!

Please have it be known that I am rather selective with my writing partners, I get easily overwhelmed otherwise, plus I disappear/lose interest easily due to my ADHD. You are free to send replies, just be warned!! I will block you if you are Under 16, and will be mostly avoiding OC's!

NOW!! LILLITH HCS BELOW!!!

#another blorbo!!!!

@beamingroyal can never get enough parental-figures, can she? :3 i think their dynamic is neat!! hiii <3

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She's forgotten how intimidating it is to be here, gah-- But she needs the company of well-- someone Other than the people she sees in the hotel every day!! Her anxieties probably get Tiring for them, and she never wants to be a bother!!!

Swallowing her nerves down, she shimmies to the door, gently knocking before opening it, sheepish smile at the classy lady inside.

"You got a time slot open for tea?" Giddy little wave !!!

The knock came while Rosie was reorganizing some shelves in the shop, and upon answering the door, the royal heiress stood on her steps.

"Princess Charlie, oh what a lovely surprise! Of course, dear. Come in, come in. I've always got time for tea."

With a hand on the young woman's shoulder, the overlord guided her into the emporium.

"Any requests, sweetie? I've got chamomile, orange ginger, cinnamon apple, Earl Grey, Chai, you name it. If you're feeling adventurous I even have a selection imported from the Gluttony Ring. Fascinating flora they've got down there."

A few dreadful moments pass as Rosie hums in consideration. "Oh alllll riiiight," She finally relents, but still with that smile of hers. "I can respect a wish to keep a promise."

She quits her hovering, leaning back against the couch again. Raising a hand-

(Briefly drumming her claws against the back of Charlie's neck)

-and summoning her teacup back into her grasp.

"Ally has always been resistant to changes, whether good or bad." Seems she's pretending not to notice what she did and Charlie's reaction to it. "He prefers things being predictable."

Ah--! Charlie flinches, eyes shutting closed, before Nothing else happens, and she blinks to stare at the slightly receding Rosie. The princess seems to physically droop, as she inches away, wrapping her arms around herself.

boo .

If only Charlie was good at asking for things , alas .

Focus Focus Focus--

"...as long as you promise not to tell them, I guess I can tell you some things." Charlie huffs. "He so IS by the way, it.. it sucks, but in regards to him and my Dad.. he fully allows uh--Lucifer to touch his ears, granted he was Drunk at the time, but my Dad knew it was a spot. So he's probably gotten to touch it in the past!"

Small little smile, thinking back on that night. "The two of them have some kind of... rivalry? But non-violent? You know, with the..."

She gestures with a blush, rather nonsensically.

"But he willingly laughs around My Dad, and was begrudgingly tolerating my spectating!"

It's a small huff, and the arms she wraps around become more crossed than physical comfort. "Something is happening between the two of them, but getting them to admit anything is like having your tail cut off!"

When Charlie isn't looking, Rosie flashes a knowing grin at the obvious disappointment. "Yes, your father has indeed got acquainted with how sensitive Alastor's ears are. Congratulations to you as well, by the way, you're now one of very few people in the loop of knowing Ally is ticklish." Now that the princess knows already, Rosie doesn't have to worry about breaking her promise.

"That partly relates to how I know his majesty's weak spots now as well. He told Ally I was the one to give away said information, which I certainly did not. I couldn't let that little lie go unpunished now. You should ask him about it when you see him next. I had a grand time." Her smile is reminiscent of one of Alastor's more sadistic ones.

At Charlie's rather vague explanation of the two's antics, said smile becomes more genuine amusement. "You mean they're having tickle fights?" A huff of laughter. The mental image is too good to resist. "Ohoho I should visit the hotel more often, this I need to see."

"Hmm, you know what? Ol'Rosie may have an idea. No tail amputation necessary."

.... Charlie is learning many new things today, and one of those things simply seems to be how... impressively formidable Rosie is turning out to be???

Goodness gracious, she shuffles to fix the jacket around herself, using it for some assortment of fidgeting. Light blush on her face at every mention of the Word.

"Is that why he came back looking frazzled the other day? I had been wondering!" Charlie hums, before her eyes widen with curious energy.

"That's impressive, not specifically getting my Dad, a recently born Nephilim could get him, he was so lee during my childhood that he let me get him! I mean, specifically knowing about Alastor's... sensitivity!"

He seemed so shy.. during the drunk night...

"If they don't get something sorted soon, I'll take you up on that!"

Small glance to the side, eyes falling, if only it worked like that for all her dreams, calling for Rosie, she'd have Alastor in the family pictures in no time...! Gah ...

"I've known Alastor for almost a century. I'm sworn to secrecy on the details, but I found out eventually." And quite the discovery it was. The deer demon had nearly bit her arm off the first time she got a successful attack on his stomach. The memory still makes her laugh to this day.

"Do keep me updated," she says, as if she isn't already planning to get involved on her own.

A hand lays upon the princess's shoulder. Comforting at first.

And then.

The cannibal's smile sharpens again.

"Now then dear, was there anything-"

Those claws drum against that spot on her nape again.

"-else-"

And again.

"-you wished to ask me?"

And again.

Charlie has always been shy when directly confronted. Always easily flustered, sheepish, and a squeaky little princess with the social skills she's managed to possess all her life, suddenly dissipating faster than she can keep up. They've managed to stay during actual confrontation these days, yet they still disappear when regarded with The Thing.

This time is no different, especially when confronted with the intimidating yet significantly more approachable version of Alastor. Who gives Charlie a constant case of dizziness with how Easily the Overlord reminds Charlie of her recently dissapearing mother.

You are Probably older than her!! Quit with the mother-issues , Charlie !!!

"Uh--" The practical white noise is back, as Charlie stares unblinkingly with a small wobbly smile. Shaky breath, this is what she gets when she surrounds herself with Demons, the most evil lers of her time.

"...I can't." It's a small, shy mutter, as Charlie looks away.

"Ahh, so you can't say the word."

An observation made so matter-of-factly, as if Rosie were commenting on the weather.

Very interesting how much power a simple little word wielded. She used to think Alastor had a similar difficulty, until she learned he danced around it to avoid the embarrassment of his radio filter cutting off. Hearing his laughter without it was quite something.

"Well I won't force you then, my dear, you know what I'm referring to." The second hand, a second set of claws drums against Charlie's stomach. "Yes or no then. Do you want it?"

Charlie might lose her marbles, soon enough. The utter simplicity with which Rosie regarded the topic was somehow flustering. She felt like a water bottle that was left in a car on a hot summer's day. Warm and gooey.

The Princess made a small noise that may not have been english, nodding quickly before hiding her smiley face against Rosie's shoulder.

"...please."

Finely manicured claws begin to dance over the woman's nape and stomach, fluttering lightly like little spiders.

"Well I cannot ignore a plea from the Princess of Hell herself."

The soft touch, in addition to the distinctly touched-up claws, could be considered a brand new ring of Hell in its own right. She scrunched her neck, bundles of soft but endless giggles releasing like a river that broke through the dam blocking its path off.

Charlie shut her eyes tightly closed, hands twitching as she attempted to keep them still. "Eheheheheehehe!!"

"Hmm, oh dear. I seemed to have misplaced the princess. Where did this cute little turtle come from?"

Scrunching the neck almost always leaves one side exposed, and those scribbling claws jump between vulnerable spots of skin. Like father, like daughter indeed. Guess ticklish necks were a Morningstar family inheritance.

"Rohohohohohosie!" The princess whined, giggles apparent and vibrant. "Thohohose clahahahaws ahahahare sohoho mehehean!" As if she wasn't aware, letting out frequent snorts.

The girl seemed particularly squirmy, unable to stay still for very long. She didn't seem to think with braincells, grabbing one of the nearby fuzzy blankets, and hiding her face and neck beneath the fuzzy mess.

"Ahah! Yohohou cahahan't gehehet mehehe hehehere!" As if she had no other spots in the world, one is sure.

The princess would hear soft chuckles from beneath her hideaway. "Oh the little turtle has gone hiding in her shell. How ever shall I get her to come back out?"

She waited a few moments, allowing Charlie to sit with the anticipation. Then the princess's world flipped over, and she was suddenly splayed across Rosie's lap on her back, blanket still over her head.

"Guess she forgot how vulnerable her belly is." Then those terribly mean claws were spidering over Charlie's stomach.