suffering from demon-induced amnesia in a town where nobody knows her, crystal starts working at a magic shop. it all goes pearshaped from there, between harbouring fugitives from hellhounds, her expanding psychic powers and entering a magic bond with a shapeshifter. but at least there is niko, amidst the chaos.
Niko latches onto the shop with bright eyes and eager questions. More often than not, Niko wanders through the door to have a look around just before Crystal’s lunch break, and insists on splitting a sandwich down the road to gossip about magic.
It’s like watching a baby duck discover water. Niko seems to unfold, like a flower blooming at the first sight of sun. Magic enters her life and whimsy seems to immediately burst out of her, spilling over with enthusiasm and outlandish theories. Crystal wonders if this is what Niko has always been like, only dampened by the parasites and her fear. She has the brief, terrifying thought that whoever she used to be, she never would have gotten to hang out with someone like Niko.
Crystal clings to the soft joy of her lunch dates with Niko tighter, banishing the idea that a version of her might never had something this easy and nice.
Apparently, Niko found a book that animates its own illustrations, somewhere between the whispering shelf and the weird fish paperweight in the back of the shop. Niko is currently regaling Crystal with the tales of a star-filled whale swimming in a cavern without water. On the table between them, her cup is empty and her croissant is half-eaten and long-forgotten.
at long last, sneak peek number three for find me when in need, and in honour of @palasakiweek starting today, have a glimpse of this world's palasaki <3
a random assortment of things this fic has in store for you: crystal pov, palasaki being absolutely adorable every step of the way, payneland breaking the world for each other even when alive, cat king being a shop cat, magic shenanigans from demons to witches to crystal’s ancestors, mick being a legend as usual, and more! hitting ao3 soon, so watch this space <3 if you want to pop by my ao3 in preparation, here's the link!
annaxmalina
ellievsbear
2087
theartofmadeline
yousharknotpass
jacobvanloon
pixelskylines
