#minorva

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Babysitter (Deliverance AU)

Friday night. Damien and Roku's first date night after the birth of their first child, Lilith. I could see how they juggled getting Lilith ready for school and handling the Mafia as well as everyday jobs, so I decided to take it upon myself to make sure they got some time for themselves.

"Are you sure Mars? Lilith can be a lot to handle and it really isn't too much a bother for us to take her to dinner with us," Roku nervously played with a couple of his dreads at the idea of leaving his child alone for the first time in a year. I had to stifle a loving laugh for my brother and his fatherly concern, "I'm sure bro. I think you two really deserve to get out and have a night to yourselves. Plus, Lilith won't be any trouble once I bake her a pie or something." Before Roku could protest my choice in snacks, I helped Damien push his husband out the door as we both shared knowing looks with one another.

Closing the door, I turned around to be greeted by my little niece, clinging onto the night pack her dads put her clothes and toothbrush in for the stay. Lilith is mute, so she just stared expectantly, "Good evening Lady Lilith, welcome back to House Fritton," I bowed my head like a butler, "if she would like, should the lady follow me to the kitchen to procure some dinner?" She loved when I played a butler, acting out giggling as I poshly made my way to the kitchen. I stopped on one side of the kitchen island as Lilith climbed on top of one of the island stools that stood a bit taller than her. "On the menu tonight, we have lamb kebab on a savory rice bed with steamed vegetables or a fish dinner consisting of fried snapper, hot sauce and/or tartar sauce, a fresh baked roll, and candied yams. Which option would you like," I inquired with a slight head tilt. Lilith sat for a few minutes thinking before signing "fish" excitedly. "As you wish."

While I cooked, I sang for Lilith's entertainment and she clapped along happily. Reciting lyrics of love songs I wrote and sang in The Bull Pen brought back pleasant memories of dancing amongst amber lighting and the smell of cigars. Freedom. But now I attend university, fighting to get my degree in archive studies. Who knew organizing could be so hard to learn?

Finishing up frying the fish, I plate everything immediately to make sure it's still warm but not too hot for Lilith to enjoy. Setting the plate down in front of my niece, she signed a thank you as her eyes beamed with anticipation for my famous fish fry. I turned back around to grab my own plate and then joined her on a neighboring stool at the island. After offering a prayer to Drepp for the bounty of fish I reeled in earlier that day, Lilith dug into the yams with a great ferocity that even I was scared of, as a fast and enthusiastic eater myself. "Slow down Lil, they aren't going anywhere," I chuckled. She shyly slowed the rate the fork reached her mouth and looked away.

After dinner, Lilith insisted we play hide and seek. Having a studio apartment means you don't get too many good hiding spots but kids are good at finding them. I couldn't find her for 25 minutes, genuinely stumped on where she could be hiding. That was until I heard the faintest sound coming from my empty hamper. Sneaking over to it, I smiled, having known it had to be her. And sure enough there she was, but she was fast asleep, curled up at the bottom of the basket, dreaming of playing games I'm sure. I cautiously picked her out of the deep basket, careful not to wake her and carried her slowly to her little guest bed by mine upstairs.

Laying her down and covering her up with a blanket I knitted her, I quietly backed away and made my way downstairs to do the dishes. I loved my niece with my whole heart and I think she knew it. I'd consider this night very successful in the babysitting category, 10/10, would babysit again.

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Brotherly Hatred

Mars POV

Part 3 End

By the time Jacob and I got to the Nabukuli clan warehouse, we could smell death in the air. It was so pungent and metallic, you would think you were on a butcher’s killing floor. The closer we got to the doors to the main building, blood sank into the pure white snow that covered the hilltop. Jacob made the decision to sneak around the side and enter through the loft to avoid getting charged through the front door.

Pulling the metal door open on the balcony, we crept inside and immediately saw the absolute carnage that littered the warehouse. Floors and walls covered in blood, bodies piled in corners or slammed into walls and floors, the smell was thick now. Scanning the room, we determined no one was going to attack us so we called out, “Marla! Damien! Where are you?”

Rubble shifted in the northern most corner of the room and we turned to see a large figure covered in blood rise from a mass on the floor, its back to us. “Jacob? Mars,” it called out. Marla. It was her under all that carnage. She turned just slightly and stared up at us in terror and just broke down crying. We ran down the stairs and narrowly missed slipping on cold blood a couple times to get to her. By the time we got to her, we had to have been standing in at least a couple inches of blood. Most likely belonging to the countless bodies piled around her. Jacob got to her before me, “are you hurt?! Where’s Damien? Mars told me Holly told him you guys were in trouble!”

When I got to my siblings’ sides, Marla moved her previously white fur coat from the floor, now soaked in blood, and this time we knew whose blood it was. Damien lay on the floor, his face clearly shot through with a shotgun. Blood filled his skull in place of where his brain used to be. Terror and anger rushed through my body and erupted in an agonized scream as I dropped to my knees, my eyes never leaving the remaining eye socket of Damien, a man I wish I had gotten to know better.

I didn’t notice when Marla stopped crying. Marla’s silence was gut wrenching after I had changed to rocking back and forth in a daze in Damien’s blood. She put a bloody hand on my shoulder, helped me up and said in the most stoic tone I’ve ever heard from her, “it’s over now, let’s head home,” she then bent down to wrap Damien in her coat and picked him up and walked out the front doors of the warehouse. Jacob and I followed after, heads hung low and hearts aching.

Mom and dad got back that evening, frantic looks on their faces, seeing the blood tracked into the house. Mark cried for hours that night and I slept in Jacob’s room after showering for over an hour. The stench and taste of blood stained into my mind and body.

That night, Marla took Damien’s body to our personal coroner and they both died that night.

A loss of a sister and a brother. But at the funeral the next day, I had a new brother, Roku.

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Brotherly Hatred

Mars POV

Part 2

That year went great for everyone but me. Mom and Dad went on a month long second honeymoon to their favorite island off the coast, Marla and Damien were preparing for their wedding and first child on the way, Jacob got accepted into an Advanced Placement Program at Drekard U, and I got stuck taking care of Mark at home. Everyone was out of the house and no one called home to wish me a happy birthday.

So I baked myself a pie and put in 13 candles and blew them out while Mark cheered from the seat next to me, eagerly waiting for a slice of blueberry pie. The emptiness of the house mirrored that of my heart, void of all that makes it full of life.

I laid in bed most days, of course until Mark would come bang on my door begging for breakfast to be made. One morning, we didn’t have any more eggs, so I decided that it was time to go downtown and do a bit of shopping for myself and Mark’s meals. That’s when I found out the news.

The market we frequent, close to home, has three of the most gossipy cows I’ve ever had the displeasure of knowing. If it was done, they’d know somehow. Unfortunately today, I wish they hadn’t known. As I walk to the front to pay for my groceries, the eldest woman, Holly speaks up, “Mars when was the last time you saw Marla?” I almost didn’t want to answer in case they were trying to gain devious information but I gave in and said I haven’t seen her since mid November and I asked why.

“Please get in touch with your parents, she’s in incredible danger. Damien was captured by Boss Nabukuli! I can only assume she’d be with him.” I dropped the items in my hand and ran out of the store all the way home to call my parents. I didn’t know what was happening but I felt fear for the first time since the wolves tore into me. It felt so familiar too, anxiety tore into me as I ran as fast as I could to get home.

I didn’t even bother closing the door before I picked up the phone to call my folks’ cabin where our parents were. Rushing to dial the number, Mark got up from the kitchen table and annoyingly walked over to the front door and slammed it causing me to jump. Two rings, five rings, seven rings. No answer. I hung up. I redialed. It took four rings for my dad to come to the phone, obviously in a relaxed state. I feared what jumble of words would leave my mouth but my brain was racing, “MARLA AND DAMIEN ARE BEING HELD BY NABU- PLEASE COME HOME I DON’T KNOW WHAT TO DO PLEASE HURRY!!! I’M GOING TO GET JACOB!” I spoke between sobs caught in my throat but blurted out what needed to be relayed. I hung up before I could receive an answer but I heard my dad’s breath hitch before the phone dropped on the holder.

At the end of that, Mark was wide eyed and close to tears next to me. “What’s happening M? Where’s Marla?! Can I come with?? I’m scared!” My mind was still racing, “no it’s too dangerous, I don’t know what’s going on but Jacob will know what to do. Please just stay here, lock the door after me, and hide! We will be back as soon as possible. Mom and dad are coming home soon, they’ll take care of it. Ok, I have to go buddy, see you soon.” And like that I was running out the door with a spare key and my knife. As much as I disliked her and Damien - No One Messes With My Family.

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Brotherly Hatred

From the view of Mars

(Pre-Damien Death)

Part 1

I envied her. She rose past us and became the next Boss, but of course that was her job as the eldest child. I never had issue with that. I envied her ability to draw in love and respect not only from Mom and Dad but suitors as well. It was her job to find the perfect bull to marry into the family, but she always seemed to come back empty handed and stoic. Making reviewing remarks about the bull to Dad, seeming to try to justify her failure. He trusted her judgement to consider what was best for the safety of the family and the city. Marla made it all look flawless.

I, on the other hand, had no idea what I was supposed to be looking for, I never paid attention to whatever boring lectures Dad gave us. Maybe I should’ve. I got turned down every chance I tried to reach out, go for a second date, or try to attract a lady in general. At a certain point, I just gave up and stayed out of the house to give the impression that I was “living it up” for the sake of the family, just to come home and lie through my teeth that the heifer’s old man just didn’t like me.

Then, one Spring, things changed. Marla would come home giggling and cheerful, running to the kitchen to talk to Mom about a date with a guy named Damien. They had college classes together so they would spend almost all day laughing, talking, and going on lunch dates. Now I was really miserable. Jacob of course noticed. Every time Damien would come over for dinner, I apparently had some sort of face on that warranted Jacob to kick me under the table and scowl slightly. I couldn’t help it, I felt useless. I can only assume Jacob told Mom and Dad about what he thought I was going through, because soon enough, girls in my grade would start following me around and suddenly being interested in me. I knew this was simply a ploy to “cheer” me up but I was much too stubborn to let them win. I doubled down when I got home and my parents would greet me at the door(which they never did before) and ask me how my day was and if I had been approached by anyone. I didn’t need their pity, and if it weren’t for perfect Marla and Damien, I would’ve been just fine!

But in the dead of winter that year, tragedy struck that would turn my view of my sister forever.