Hicvember Day 7: Magical Mishaps
Hey guys! This technically could've counted for failed cures, but I figured it'd work better for magical. Honestly, this fic was what inspired me to suggest this prompt to replace the originally duplicated prompt :)
Our main characters today are Artemia, Ollie, Herman, a quick cameo from Dennis, and Hyland
CW: hiccups, mention of dog vomit, not much to tag honestly
Obligatory tagging of my beloved/p: @hiccuping-daydreams
And without further ado, I give you...
ApoIlo's Slight Hiccup! Enjoy!
Fandom: EPlC, Modern AU
Artemia was waving at one of the last couple of guests for the day. She sighed in contentment. Today had been a rewarding day. She loved to see all the happy mortals relax with dogs and snacks.
Now as it was approaching closing time, she'd switched the open sign to closed before addressing her employees.
“Good work today, you two,” Artemia smiled.
Herman struck a pose while puckering his lips, “I do good work every day, dawling.”
Dennis chuckled at their antics before nodding, “thanks, Artie.”
Artemia nodded as she watched a few stragglers look for dog supplies in the store area. Suddenly, her phone started ringing with a familiar ring tone. Fishing out her phone from her pocket, she smiled at the caller ID being her brother.
She tapped accept before holding the phone to her ear, “Hey twinzie-”
“Temi!” His voice seemed urgent. “I need-” his voice cut out for a bit before he continued, “your help, it's an emergen–cy, please!”
“I'm on my way,” Artemia was already grabbing her keys, “remind me where are you now?”
He mentioned a city that was in a whole different state. Artemia turned to Herman, “Okay…we'll be there soon, bye.”
As he was questioning who she was bringing, she hung up the phone, “Herman?” She waved them over.
Herman walked over to her, voice lowered, “what is it, dawling?”
“I need you to get me somewhere…fast,” Artemia pleaded to him, whispering, “‘Pollo's in trouble and he's miles away and a car won't get me there in time and-”
“Alright, alright, breathe,” Herman placed a hand on her shoulder, “let's go find your twin.”
Taking her hand, he led her out the door, leaving Dennis watching and calling out to them sarcastically, “yeah! I'll just handle closing! Don't worry about it!” Just as a little girl told her about a dog who just threw up.
Dennis slumped. It was going to be a long night.
Meanwhile, miles and miles away, Ollie was pacing back and forth backstage–aka, a storage space in the back of the bar he was performing at tonight–fiddling with his lyre as he waited for his sister. He had an entire audience out there waiting for him, he couldn't let them all down.
But how was he supposed to use his voice if it was compromised?
“Sweetie?”
And then there was the mortal he was dating, Hyland. He couldn't let him see him like this. Especially because he was unaware of his status as an immortal being.
“I'm fine!” Ollie called before quickly muffling another hiccup, watching the lights flickering in response.
“It's just hiccups,” Hyland reminded him. “And they're pretty quiet, I'm sure the four people in this bar won't even notice.”
“You'll notice,” Ollie pouted, jolting with a silent hiccup.
“Because I know you have them,” Hyland raised an eyebrow, “also? I can sense you pouting through the door.”
“Shu-huck-t up,” Ollie whined at the audible hiccup that made the light shine even brighter before dimming.
“This bar has really bad lighting,” Hyland muttered as he looked up curiously.
Suddenly, Artemia and Herman walked into the bar, the former looking around concernedly, “Ollie?! Where are you!?”
Ollie heard Artemia's calls and looked at the door, “Hyland…Hy–land, that's my si-hip-ster!”
Hyland looked at the white-haired girl and waved her over. Artemia, and by extension Herman, both walked over, though the relative moved a bit faster.
“Is Ollie okay?” Artemia looked at Hyland before just barging through him and opening the door, “Ollie?!”
“I'm right here,” Ollie waved before he was bombarded with a hug from Artemia.
“Ollie, what's wrong? Are you ok? What happened?” Artemia held him at arms’ length, moving him around, checking for any injuries. “Where does it hurt?”
“Temi, I'm fi–ine,” Ollie reassured her.
Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion, seeing the lights flicker, “but…you sounded so urgent on the phone…”
“I wanted to make sure you ca–ame,” Ollie looked a little sheepish, “but I still need your help…”
Artemia groaned and crossed her arms, “with what?”
“I got the hick…hiccups,” Ollie pouted.
Artemia blinked and stared at him in utter disbelief. “Are…are you serious?” She gripped him up by the collar, "You call me in a panic, making me leave poor Dio to close up shop just to tell me you got a case of hiccups?!”
“T-to be fair hip-uh, I'm going on sta–age in like te–en min-nk-nutes,” Ollie stammered, frightened by the anger radiating off of her, “and I can–can't go out there with the light–s going off every time I HI'UP!-” a light bulb nearby shattered. “every time I HUP!” another light bulb shattered.
“I get it,” Artemia huffed and let him go, lowering her voice, “you don't want to hurt the mortals.”
“...totally-hick-y,” Ollie said unconvincingly before noticing Herman in the background, flirting with Hyland. “What is he doin–ing here?”
“How do you think I got here so fast?” Artemia raised an eyebrow before turning to Herman, “Herm? Stop flirting with them and get over here!”
Herman groaned before waving charmingly to Hyland and heading inside the storage room, closing the door behind her. “Sup, Olliver?”
Ollie glared at Herman, “it's just hip…Ollie. An–nd now you're try–ing to steal my boy–fr–friend?” He patted his chest after those quick silent hiccups.
“It's just harmless flirting,” Herman raised an eyebrow, “and I'm happily committed to my relationship with Ti, dawling.”
“Guys- wait, boyfriend?” Artemia paused her train of thought. “You never told me you had a boyfriend…”
“Uhhh…I di—idn't?” Ollie tilted his head.
“What's going on with the lights in this place?” Herman commented.
“Can we fo–cus on getting rid of hup! these?” Ollie slumped, “I'm perform-hingk! soon an–d I think it's getting wor-HRK!-orse…”
Herman startled at hearing a broken bulb, “dawling, you're doing this whole thing with the lights?”
Artemia pinched her nose, “Ollie, what have you tried for cures?”
“Everything!” He lamented dramatically, “holding my bre—eath, drinki-nlgk! water, doing a headstand, they won't holp go hup'k! away HU'ULP!-ugghhhhh.”
Two light bulbs shattered and Herman dramatically covered her eyes, “careful with those, man!”
“He can't control it, Herm,” Artemia glared at Herman before turning to Ollie and holding both of his shoulders, “and you need to relax. They seem to be reacting to your emotional state. Try taking some deep breaths with me, okay?”
Ollie nodded, “ok-kmp-kay.”
Artemia guided Ollie through some deep breaths. Though his breaths were constantly interrupted by his hiccups, he could tell that they had started getting softer, fading away until…
“...aaaaahhh,” he exhaled softly and smiled at the lack of spasms. “Oh my stars…that actually worked?”
“Yep, I think it was based on your nerves,” Artemia theorized. “When you started getting worried about having to go out there with those hiccups, they got worse, so-”
“Yeah, that's great, sis, but I gotta go up and play for my fans,” Ollie strummed his lyre and winked, “thank you for helping me! You're a real life-saver. Smooches, darling!~”
He kissed both of her cheeks before exiting the storage closet.
“That's my word, dawling, and you're not even saying it right!” Herman called after him as he'd left.
“Classic Ollie,” Artemia shook her head before turning to Herman, “ready to head back home?”
“Whenever you are,” Herman winked with a smile.
“Ew, no,” she rolled her eyes before leaving the storage closet, waving at Hyland before leaving the bar.
Herman blew him a kiss before quickly following behind Artemia. The two of them found an alleyway, Herman transforming into their casual form before carrying Artemia and hurrying back to The Barking Bean.
Fin~