MINIFIC: LBSC October 2021 Minific Challenge: 16: Demon (MLB/Lukanette/Winters)
Notes: For @lovebugs-and-snakecharmers's October 2021 Minific Challenge Day 16 (Demon). …I think I just accidentally set the Winters ‘Verse in Ingary? Oops? (Pulling from Howl’s Moving Castle (book!verse never movie) and Stardust (movie!verse because the ending fits this story better). Neither have to be known to read this, though.)
Read on Ao3
October 16: Demon
“Look!” Luka cried, pushing himself up on his elbow and pointing towards the sky. Marinette followed his finger to see a star streaking across the sky. “A falling sssstar!”
It had been a rare warm day, and the night sky was clear. Marinette had made herself a cup of warm hot chocolate and gone outside to enjoy the stars. Luka had awoken, grabbed one of his blankets, and slithered out to join her. It had been nice: it reminded Marinette of summer nights, on their backs in her yard, talking late into the night as they stargazed.
Her heart twisted at the sight of the falling star, though. She sipped her cocoa as the star disappeared from sight. Somewhere, if it was lucky, it would burn out and die.
“Falling stars always make me sad,” she said. Luka settled back against his tail and looked up at her, confused.
“Ssssad?” he asked. She hummed, bouncing her feet to set her chair rocking.
“I met a falling star once, in the Citadel,” she said. Her nose scrunched, and she shook her head. “Well, no, that’s not quite right. Once they fall, they aren’t stars anymore. They’re demons.”
“What?” he asked, sitting back up. She smiled at the look of surprise on his face. “I was always told ssstars are jussst…fire. Far, far away in the sssky.”
“They are,” she said, smiling. “That’s why they become fire demons when they fall. It never ends well for them, though. They must either be bound to a human or they die. And if they’re bound long enough, they become wicked and turn the human into something twisted.”
Luka looked back to the sky and frowned.
“…that’sss ssso sssad,” he said. She reached out absently and brushed her fingers through his hair. He turned back to her, a small smile on his face, but she was searching the sky. She gave his hair a little tug when she found whatever she was looking for and pointed. He looked back to the sky, but he didn’t see what she was looking at.
“Do you see that really bright star, almost directly above us? With the smaller star besides?” she asked. After a moment he did, and he nodded. Her smile warmed. “It doesn’t always end bad. That star is named Yvaine. She’s the evening star – the brightest they have. A long time ago, long before we were born, she fell and bound herself to a king. They were deeply in love, and when his time came she took him back into the sky with her so they could be together forever. He’s the smaller star beside her. His love kept her from turning evil.”
“That doesn’t ssssound ssso bad,” Luka hummed. He leaned back against her legs, and she giggled as she stopped rocking. He looked up at her and smiled. “Forever with your mate? I wouldn’t mind that.”
“Silly snake,” she giggled, brushing his hair again. “The fire demon I met actually knew her. His story didn’t end so bad, either, but he said he got lucky. He had bound himself to a powerful wizard, but the contract was killing both of them. They met a powerful witch who could speak life into things, and she was able to break the contract and save both of them. She ended up falling in love with the wizard, actually. She’s a lovely witch, but he’s…” Her nose scrunched again, and a hissing laugh left him. “The Wizard Pendragon is a bit of an acquired taste.”
“Are all falling ssstar – fire demon – ssstories love ssstories?” he asked, grinning at her. She giggled, brushing his bangs back to better see his eyes. He leaned into her touch, and her smile warmed.
“I suppose they are.”
