Chapter 7: A Dinner With Death
Welcome back! It took me two weeks, but we got there. Life has been so busy and SO stressful. I hope you all are doing well. Also, I already have plans for the next 3 chapters. If you haven't taken a look at the masterlist, I suggest you do. The working titles are already up and they're my little hints for what the next chapters will center around.
Anywhodle, this chapter is part 2 to chapter 6. Make sure you go read that one first! Enjoy!😊
Word count: 7,292 (If chapter 6 & 7 were combined like they were originally meant to, it would've been 15,409 words 😅)
Warnings: Swearing, that's all for now
Your less than enthusiastic reaction to the woman standing by the door makes everyone stiffen and go silent. It was so quiet that you could hear more than a pin drop. You could swear that you heard the neighbor sneeze next door. Dark brown hair and matching eyes stare back at you with a grin that makes you want to toss the plate at her. It was the woman from the cafe who led you to finding the coven and now she's standing there, intending to join the very same coven for dinner.
"You know her?" Billy, quite bravely, is the one to ask the question on everyone's minds.
You whip your head back around with a bewildered expression, "Yeah, you could say that. Does anyone want to tell me why she's here?"
You give Agatha a pointed look, but the spirit witch just purses her lips at the woman behind you. As always, Lilia is the one to provide the answer. She leans into your side with a whisper, "That's Rio. Agatha's girlfriend."
At first, something cold like betrayal takes root, only to be consumed by white hot anger when you hear the woman…Rio starts laughing. You shoot upright, the chair scraping across the wooden floor. The hideous sound makes the other wince while Agatha tries to scold you. But, you don't listen to a word. You storm toward the chuckling witch who looks so utterly amused by the entire thing, gripping her arm as you drag her back out the still open door.
"You knew! You knew I was looking for Agatha! Why didn't you say anything?!" You don't waste any time, immediately jumping down Rio's throat for answers.
"There’s rules to this kind of thing." Rio says calmly, closing the door once you release your iron clad grip on her. Despite your raised voice, Rio was wholly unaffected. It only adds fuel to the fire of your anger.
"Rules?! What rules? Are you supposed to send a covenless witch on a wild goose chase instead of sending her directly to the person she's looking for? Who just so happens to be your GIRLFRIEND, might I add." You continue your tirade, pacing back and forth. Rio, however, just leans against the blue pillar of the porch. She no longer looks amused. The chaos soaked smile was swapped for a stern and imploring look, leaving you more confused than ever.
"Did they tell you who I am?" She asks with a slight tilt of her head.
"Yeah! The original green witch. Which makes you Death. But, what does that have to do with any of this? No one is dying!" You shout, confused and frustrated.
"It has more to do with this than you know." Rio says with a solemn tone, like she regrets the truth of her words. "I've known you since the moment you were born. I was there when your father died, I was there when your mother died, and I know how YOU will die. I know everything."
The way Rio says it so drily sends a cold chill down your spine. You try not to panic, because she could've meant anything. It's nearly impossible that she could know about…that.
"Everything? What's that supposed to mean?" You question, a slight shake in your lowered voice, not wanting anyone inside to overhear.
"I know the one secrets you keep closest. The ones you desperately try to forget about." She says. Rio looks down at your hands, one of her own reaching out to thumb the ring that you found the day you first met her. "Where do you think this ring came from, hm?"
Your brows furrow, glancing between her face and the ring. You never considered that she could have had something to do with it. Because, how could she? You had only just met her and she wouldn't have known where you parked or what it looked like unless she had been following you.
"I…Hold on. I found this in my car. Were you following me?" You ask while pulling your hand away. Your confusion is evident, but you have to pull back your wavering temper. Rio had already lied to you, even though it was only by omission. It still angers you that she knew what you were looking for, struggling every day and she did nothing to help. Aside from giving you a flimsy card for Lilia's shop. You would've been grateful for that if your first encounter with the divination witch hadn't ended so badly.
"But, Nora told you that she'd never seen or heard about a ring like that before, didn't she?" Rio smiles all too confidently that, which briefly makes you consider slapping it off her face.
"How could you possibly know about my h-" You shout, only stopping when the front door opens. Standing on the other side is Agatha and Lilia, likely sent by the others to make sure you're both still alive.
"Everything alright out here?" Lilia asks as she drifts towards your side, giving the witch a nod.
You hear Agatha telling Rio to "Play nice", making your eyes roll in annoyance. It dawns on you that they sent Agatha out because the spirit witch and Lady Death are in a relationship. You look over at Lilia, who's already guiding you back into the house. The trio inside likely only sent her because you live with her. But, the other option lingers in your mind. You would've blushed if you hadn't almost throttled Rio a moment ago.
"Doll, what happened? You look pissed?" Lilia asks with one arm around you, her hand settled on your hip and thumb moving side to side.
"I've met Rio before. She didn't tell me who she was." You say quietly to Lilia as she leads you through the front entry. "Rio knew I was looking for Agatha and sent me to you instead."
Lilia stops and steps in front of you to block you from reaching the dining room. At first, you think Lilia is going to start a tirade similar to yours about Rio. Instead, she quirks a brow at you with her hands on her hips, looking more upset with you than Death.
"Oh? And, is that such a bad thing?" She asks, attitude flaring as she stares back at you with a frown.
"Have you already forgotten how our first meeting went?" You fire back, not because you're upset at all. You just can't imagine that she wouldn't change how you first met.
Before anything is said, Rio and Agatha walk in. Rio looks like she'd just finished being scolded and Agatha smirks at you as they pass. The spirit witch offers one comment before finding her place at the table again, "OOOO! Lovers' quarrel!"
The playful teasing cuts through the tension, making the entire coven break out into snickers and laughter. All besides Lilia, who glares at everyone as she turns back to the dining room.
"Behave!" She chides. You, on the other hand, glance between the divination witch and Agatha before smirking.
"Wait until they find out about our baby." You say just loud enough for everyone to hear while looking at Lilia, receiving a gasp and many more swats to your shoulder. The table erupts into questions while you scurrying back to your seat, trying to avoid any more smacks from Lilia, who's still feigning annoyance. As you slip into your seat, you catch both Rio and Agatha smiling like they know something that you don't. It would've sent up into another spiral if it weren't for the conversation immediately picking back up.
"See. I told you. I win." Jen quips, waving her hand at Alice like they had some secret bet going.
"Told her what?" You immediately ask, looking around the table for answers.
Jen snaps her head back to look at you with a sly smile, "That you two are finally fuc-"
"Can we eat?!" You shout over Jen, your tone sounding high by several degrees. You glare at the potions witch as she laughs, Alice snorts, and the others look completely lost.
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After Jen nearly made you choke on air, the dinner went rather well. Lilia sat in the center of one side of the table, with you and Jen on either side. Billy sat directly across from the divination witch, Alice is across from Jen, and Agatha is across from you. That leaves Rio at the head of the table, right next to you. You avoided looking at the green witch and barely acknowledged her existence at all. It wasn't like she didn't try. The green witch tried speaking to you multiple times, but you continued to ignore her. You couldn't help it. The lying and secrecy froze your ability to trust, even if she did do it to "look out for you". Most of the table's conversation revolved around the coven's venture down the Witches' Road and your arrival to their little coven.
"And, it was Lilia who figured out that Rio is Lady Death. Perks of being a divination witch." Billy finishes his grand retelling.
"I'm not surprised. It's like the woman has eyes everywhere." You say as you glance at the witch, who seems to read you like the back of her hand. Lilia just smirks with a quick, "I do."
"You might want to get that checked out, Lils." You laugh, nudging her shoulder with your own, making the woman roll her eyes at you.
"Ha. Ha. Very funny, heathen." She snorts, trying to suppress another bout of laughter. It seems to be the theme for you two today. You've been laughing together like schoolgirls all day, completely missing how the rest of the coven looks at the pair of you.
"Okay! This is boring. I say we uncork some wine and play a game." Agatha says as she stands up, promptly avoiding helping with the dishes.
"What are we? Children?" Jen says from the other side of Lilia, clearly picking up on Agatha's drama-seeking behavior.
"Oh, come on! A little Uno won't hurt." Agatha challenges, grinning as she looks for a corkscrew.
"NO! You remember what happened last time." Billy tries to reason with the spirit witch as he starts cleaning up with Alice.
"Do I even want to know?" You ask skeptically when you see Agatha and Rio chuckling to themselves.
"Uh. Probably not. There's still a wine stain behind that picture." Alice speaks up next with dishes stacked in her hands, looking as calm as always.
You and Lilia both exchanged a displeased look when you both realized the people who cooked would be cleaning. Moving in sync, you both stood and snatched the dishes from Alice and Billy to clean up. It was much more preferable that way. You and Lilia could clean up while the others argued about what "coven activity" would be happening.
The cleaning up wasn't a problem, as you're usually stealing the task from Lilia. You rinsed dishes while Lilia loads the dishwasher, but her questions didn't wait more than a minute to start flying out now that the rest of the coven was too busy arguing about "Uno".
"So, are you going to tell me what happened with Rio?" She asks, no doubt trying to will you into spilling every detail of the encounters. You consider lying, but you know how easily that woman can read you. You'd fail before you even started.
"I met her in Jersey City in a cafe. She said that she heard I was looking for the coven and gave me a business card for your shop." You explain. The clinking of dishes and Agatha's loud, convincing speech was enough to give the two of you privacy. So, you continue, "She didn't give me any details or information. I honestly don't know why I believed her."
"I'm glad you did." Lilia whispers, her voice breathy like she hadn't meant to say it out loud. You were about to make another joke about the way you two met when the divination witch's pointed look stops you short, "And, what happened outside?"
You sigh at the wasted moment for teasing, but answer her question anyway, "We argued…or, more like, I almost lost it on her and she stayed eerily calm."
"I'd ask how she found you, but…" She says as you dry your hands off. You were more than happy to escape the debate going on at the dining table to clean up, but you also hadn't expected Lilia to turn the time into an interrogation. You could almost feel how persistently she was searching for something, something you weren't sure you had the answers for.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah. She's death and is all-knowing." You sigh, trying to use your expert skills of being a smartass to switch the subject, "And, I thought I had to deal with that enough around you."
"I'm not all-knowing. You haven't even let me do a palm reading yet." Lilia says as she closes the dishwasher, hands finding her hips once again. You know the look on her face very well. It's the look she gets when she's going to purposely make you blush and stutter over your words.
"Still can't. My hands are all pruney." You reason, trying to hide your hands behind your back despite the witch advancing on you, already reaching out to snatch your right wrist.
"No excuses. Hand. Now." She says when she captures her target. You, very reluctantly, turn your palm upright. That's when you realize your mistake.
Lilia holds your hand between her own, fingers tracing the lines on your palm. Yet, she doesn't seem to be all that concerned with what they are telling her. She just continues to guide her nail along the divots. You could stop her, ask her what she sees, or even pull your hand away. The problem is that you don't want to. This subject change seems to have thoroughly enthralled both of you with the small amount of touch you've allowed each other.
After a few moments, her right hand slides down to caress your fingers, her left moving up to press her thumb against your pulse point. Your pulse has no doubt sped up to an almost alarming rate. You see the moment she notices the elevated thumping when her lips quirk up into a smug smile, her eyes slowly lifting to your own.
"Something wrong, dolcezza? Am I making you nervous?" Lilia asks, acting oblivious to the situation she's put you in. Like she isn't all but playing with your fore and middle finger. Like she's not thumbing over your wrist in a way that feels exclusive to lovers.
"N-no. Totally fine. I'm fine." You stutter and try to avoid eye contact with the witch, who is still very determined to get a reaction from you.
"Oh, really? So, you wouldn't mind if I just…" Lilia trails off as her hand on your wrist grips your forearm instead, her other staying firmly planted on your hand. Your confusion only lasts for a few short moments before the witch in front of you bends at the waist. The action makes you look her in the eyes. The mixture of mischief, curiosity, and amorous intent.
The moment her lips touch your skin, directly where your fluttering pulse lies, your knees almost buckle. It felt like thousands of tiny fireworks exploding in your stomach all at once and you realized that, even if Jen was wrong about the divination witch's feelings, you were certain about your own. You're absolutely head over heels for this woman.
"Mhm. That's what I thought." Lilia says in a confident tone as she straightens up. Before you can ask, she turns to walk back to the dining table. She offers you a wink before walking off, "You like me."
You stand there, lacking any words or witty comebacks. She wasn't just successful at rendering you speechless, but she also managed to shut down your brain completely. Until you heard Agatha cheer as she finally managed to pop a wine bottle open. Somehow, the entire coven was totally oblivious to Lilia's flirtations. Or, that's what you thought.
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Reaching the crowded table, you're well aware of Agatha's evident victory. Alice shuffles an Uno deck and despite all the protests, everyone seems rather excited. You can only imagine how long it's been since they've gotten to hang out like this and you felt honored to be a part of this little family of a coven. Agatha made sure everyone, besides Billy, had a full glass of wine. Billy was stuck with the selection of non-alcoholic drinks even as he tried to convince the group that "One glass would be fine". Even Rio told him no.
Speaking of Death personified, she continues to stare you down every chance she gets. You know she wants to talk to you, but that will have to wait until you're not considering seeing if Death can die anymore. As the cards are dealt and witches start partaking in their choice of drinks, you feel a hand find your thigh. You try to subtly glance down, already knowing it's Lilia but wanting to make sure you're not just imagining it. Sure enough, ringed fingers curl around the inside of your thigh, her hand settled on the top like she was claiming the spot as her own. It's enough to both calm you and send you reeling. Just as you're about to reach down, Lilia's grip tightens. She was watching for your reaction the entire time and is almost daring you to push her touch away after how you reacted in the kitchen.
Knowing that there's no way to win against the divination witch, not that you want to in this regard, you settle for sipping from your now filled wine glass and turning your attention to the cards being dealt across the table. The game is about to start and the entire coven seems ready for whatever chaos is about to ensue.
"Agatha. No cheating. We already talked about this." Jen huffs after a few rounds of Agatha always having the right card, no matter how many times someone tried to trip her up.
"I'm sure somebody told you the same thing when you were putting all those chemicals in your facial cleansers." The spirit witch snarks, earning a glare from Jen. "What? Too soon?"
"Don't be a dick, Agatha." You say, trying to back up the potions witch you bonded with earlier that day.
"We'll see who's a dick during your next training session. How about tomorrow?"Agatha says, turning her attention to you. The witty and biting comebacks are a knee-jerk reaction for the coven's unofficial leader. Your eyes widen and you look to Lilia, who just shakes her head before playing a card. The divination witch is just as lost as lost and Agatha takes that as an agreement. "Great. Don't be late, lackey."
"Your turn, kiddo." Rio speaks up, bringing your attention to the fact that you missed everyone else taking their turns…and the fact that she just called you "kiddo".
"Do NOT call me that." You seethed at the green witch, shocking most of the table. Key word, "most". Both Agatha and Lilia seemed rather unfazed.
"You gonna play or are you scared? I promise I won't go too hard on you tomorrow…maybe." Agatha says as she tries to draw the conversation away from any possible arguments. She might be one for drama, but there's no doubt that Agatha has a soft spot for her coven, you included. It's the only reason she actually brought you back and why she's trying to avoid any fights between you and her lover.
You scoffed and toss down the first matching card you can find, Lilia's hand briefly lifting off your thigh to refill your wine glass again. The game continued shortly after and the entire coven seemed to join in on steering away from anything that could cause you and Rio to disagree. The first round went by with Jen winning, saving a wild card for her final card to throw down. You laughed as Agatha tried to make up reasons why she didn't win this time.
"I'm just in the worst spot! Teen and Rio took all the good cards." Agatha yells, throwing her hands up to gesture at the two on either side of her.
"That's not how it works. You lost because you couldn't cheat and everyone knows it." Alice says with a snort and reaches over the table to give Jen a high five.
"I play to win. It's not my fault you all follow the rules." The spirit witch huffs her arms still moving theatrically. The wine glass in her hand sways with the movements, the deep red liquid inside sloshing against the rim.
"Careful! You're gonna spill the wine!" Billy shouts as he tries to take the glass away from the tipsy witch, but Agatha just pulls it further out of his reach. Everyone watches as wine spills out of the glass and splashes across the table. Rio laughs while everyone else, including you, gasps and pushes away from the table to avoid the splash zone. Billy frowns at his mentor, "I told you."
"I'll grab paper towels." You sigh, rolling your eyes at Agatha, who just purses her lips and shrugs. Lilia pats your thigh before letting go. You make quick work of getting into the kitchen, not wanting the wine to stain any of the cards or give it any time to spread. When you hear footsteps follow you in, you smile to yourself. "I'm fine, Lils. I think I can get some paper towels on my own."
"Not Lilia, but I'm glad you're making friends, kiddo." The voice says from behind you, you whirl around to face none other than Rio. The witch smirks at you, but you're much less fond of the teasing come from Rio.
"I already told you not to call me that." You sigh. You don't want to start another argument, but that doesn't mean you want to talk to her either. Even if you're curious about why she's being so persistent, "Just…go away."
"No." Rio insists, holding her ground with a blank face, "I need you to listen to me. Five minutes. That's all I ask."
"Do not tell me what I need to do." You warn the green witch, gripping the paper towels a little tighter than before.
"If you care for any of those people around that table, you'll listen to me. And, we both know you care a great deal about at least one of them." Rio speaks in a quieter tone, nodding her head at the dining table. But, not in a general sense. You know she means Lilia specifically and that catches your attention.
"Why would I trust you? Hm? It wouldn't be the first time you've lied to me." You ask, suspicious but also worried about what damage could be caused to your friends and Lilia. It might not be too bad of an idea to hear Rio out.
"I will explain everything, I swear on the Teen." Rio declares with feigned passion, hand where her heart should be. It would've made you laugh if you didn't want to toss the witch off a roof.
"Ha. Very funny." You groan, narrowing your eyes at her. A few seconds of silence pass with Rio just staring at you and you finally concede, "…Okay. Fine. Only five minutes. Not a second over."
"Are you two fighting again?" Billy asks, startling you and making Rio huff. You give the green witch a glare before shaking your head at Billy.
"No. Trying to bury the hatchet, so to speak." You reassure the young coven member before holding the paper towels out to him, "Here. Go tell Agatha to clean up her own mess. We'll be there in a minute."
"Okay, but if I hear yelling, I'm sending Lilia in." Billy says before retreating. That actually does make you laugh a bit, imagining the divination witch snatching Rio up by her ear. Rio, however, seems less than amused.
"Can we talk now?" The witch asks in annoyance, arms crossed over her chest.
"Fine, fine. No need to get all doom and gloom, Lady Death." You snort before leaning back against the counter, nodding for Rio to start.
"You made sleep potions with Jen, right?" Rio asks with a tilt of her head. You can tell there's more going on in her mind, the way her eyes hold a strange flash of concern.
"Yeah, but how did you…" You stop yourself before finishing your question, remembering that the witch seems to know every detail of your life, "You know everything. Never mind. Continue."
"You shouldn't use them." She says plainly.
"What? Why wouldn't I?" You complain, waving your hands around slightly in frustration, "Rio, I've been having horrible nightmares. I'm exhausted all the time. I can't live like this."
"They're not just nightmares. They're warnings and if you start using those sleep potions, things are bound to slip through the cracks." Rio continues with the same dim tone, not wanting others to overhear for your own sake.
"Things? Like, fears..or?" You question, but if you're honest, you're not sure if you really want to know the answer.
"Think about it, kiddo." The witch says in an imploring tone, glancing down at your hands for the second time today. For once, you don't scold her for the nickname.
You know what she's talking about and it scares you, not only that she knows, but that the possibility is very real. A panic sets in, your mind going into overdrive as you consider everything anyone has ever said about you. Could it be true? Was that bitch, Mrs.Thompson, right about you all along? What could you do about it, even if it was true?
"Don't freak out. You'll be busy with work and Agatha tomorrow, so let's meet up on Thursday. I'll answer any questions you have. Okay?" Rio speaks up again, raising a hand but not touching you. Her hand hovers by your shoulder until you nod and only then does it settle with a gentle squeeze.
"Okay. Thanks. Can we go back now?" You ask, looking back at the dining table.
Despite clearly trying to give you space, Billy keeps peeking over at the two of you, likely making sure you don't try to murder each other. He's not the only one. As always, Lilia seems to pick up on your nervous energy and is already looking at you with the silent question. You give the divination witch a meek smile as you and Rio walk back to the table. Once seated, Lilia's hand finds yours under the dark oak, fingers intertwining.
"You okay, baby?" She softly whispers to you.
"Yeah. Just a tough conversation." You whisper back, squeezing her hand gently, "Lils, I'm fine."
"I'm not sure if I believe you." Lilia says with a raised eyebrow, trying to pull more information out of you.
You want to tell her everything, every detail and fear, but those fears are the exact thing keeping you. So, naturally, you turn to the rest of the coven with a smile, "Who's ready for round two?!"
Lilia is less than pleased about your avoidance, but no one else seemed to pick up on anything. Instead, they all excitedly got ready for round two. Cards shuffled and dealt, drinks refilled, and Agatha warned against cheating again.
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The second round went much like the first and the more you drank, the less worried you got. There was plenty of yelling, laughing, and card throwing. Lilia and Rio both stayed sober to look out for the rest of you. Billy just seemed amused by the whole thing and when the games drew to a close, he was the first one sent out the door. The entire coven acts as mothers to him, wanting to make sure he gets home safe and doesn't drive while tired. After Billy left, you helped…or tried to help Jen and Alice clean up. But, it just ended up with all three of you giggling over wine glasses and damp cloths while wiping down Agatha's table.
"Just admit it. You're falling in love with her." Jen teases as she clumsily collects the wine glasses, thankfully not speaking loud enough to alert the other three in the living room.
"I'm nooot." You say in a drawn out tone, already flushed from the wine and now even more from embarrassment.
"Girl, you definitely are." Alice snickers and playfully elbows you in the side.
You all freeze when you hear a groan from the living room, thinking that you've been caught, only to see Lilia and Rio trying to get a drunk and passed out Agatha off the couch. Agatha continued to groan and mumble as Lilia helped pull the spirit witch into Rio's arms.
"Children. All of you." Lilia says with a groan of her own, looking at the pair of lovers in feigned annoyance as Rio laughs and carries Agatha upstairs. You and the duo look at each other and start laughing loudly, much to Lilia’s amusement, "Oh, quiet. You three are no better."
You, Alice, and Jen immediately quieted down, hurrying to go back to cleaning despite the tipsy giggles escaping any time you looked at one another. Lilia makes her way over, taking over most of the cleaning while the less than sober of you sit down for a break.
"You know, Billy told us something while you were talking to Rio earlier. He used his mind reader trick." Alice says as she puts her head down on the table, looking just as tired as you feel.
"What?! What did he say?!" You shout, earning another look from Lilia, "Oh. Sorry, Lils."
"Well, now I want to know what you think he said. Got secrets, do ya? Any about a certain curly haired witch?" Jen speaks up, narrowing her eyes at you as she leans in preemptively for a secret she won't receive.
"Just tell me what he said or…" You lower your voice and lean in a little for your whispered threat, "Or, I'll tell Lilia that you think she needs to get laid."
"OH! Please do. Maybe she'll take that as an invitation from you." Jen laughs loudly while nodding.
"I hate you. We're not friends anymore." You huff as you lean back in your chair, sulking with your arms crossed.
"Don't say that. You love me and remember who helped you with your powers, dopey." Jen dramatically pouts and reaches over to lightly smack your arm.
"Did you really?" Alice perks up when she hears the potions witch's admission, peeking out from the arms that cushion her head.
"Shut up. I did one nice thing. I'm not Mother Teresa." Jen groans and rolls her eyes.
"Are either of you going to tell me what Billy said or what?" You deadpan and wave your hands, trying to get Jen and Alice's attention again.
"Oh yeah! I almost forgot." Alice starts with a sleepy grin before explaining what you had missed, "He actually accidentally read Lilia's mind and she was thinking about clearing out her guest room. We all thought she would've already done that and he got us all to chip in to get you a bed."
"A bed? That was the big secret? Because I'm good on the couch." You shrug. You're appreciative of their concern, of course. But, you don't see the need to have them help when you're working and could pay for it yourself.
"No, you're not. You sound older than me in the mornings." Lilia says suddenly when she walks up behind you, almost making you jump straight out of the chair.
"Divine Mother, have mercy! You've got to stop doing that!" You yell and turn to glare at the witch, heart pounding in your chest.
"I would, but your reaction is my daily entertainment." Lilia says with a smirk before ushering each one of you out of the dining chair, "Now, all of you get up and get in the car. Off you go, little drunk ducklings."
"We're not drunk! Just…tipsy and everyone drank." You try to defend yourself and the duo. It might’ve worked if it wasn’t for Lilia and her never ending list of quips.
"Yeah, that's why you're walking like you've been at sea for the last three years." Lilia says with her hands on your hips to make a show of steadying you more than necessary. As soon as Alice and Jen start laughing, you know it's not about the divination witch's joke. Both pairs of eyes are locked on the placement of Lilia's hands.
"Shuuut uuup!" You whine before the mother hen of a witch practically drags the three of you outside.
˚۰˚☽˚۰˚☽˚۰˚☽˚۰˚☽˚۰˚☽˚۰˚☽˚۰˚☽˚۰˚☽˚۰˚☽˚۰˚☽˚۰˚☽˚۰˚☽˚۰˚☽˚۰˚☽˚۰˚
Getting to the car was the easy part. Lilia had decided she would drive everyone home in your car and they could retrieve their own cars in the morning. Magic was useful like that. It should've been simple. Except you, Alice, and Jen kept laughing your asses off, jokes flying out every second, and poor Lilia was subject to three loud drunk witches cackling while she drives.
By the time Lilia dropped Alice and Jen off and made sure they got inside Jen's house safely, it was well after midnight. Both you and the divination witch had been up for way too long, but you were feeling exceptionally drained from all the mood swings and the magic work you did with Jen. And, as Lilia gets back in the car, you notice just how loose your restraint has gotten. Yet, you can't seem to stop yourself from use Lilia's own tricks against her. You place a hand on her thigh just above her knee, not too high. The witch smiles in amusement before pulling the car away.
"Watch where you put your hands, baby." Lilia chides you, but doesn't move your hand.
"It's okay when you do it, but I can't?" You ask with a frown, getting more tired by the second.
"I'm not drunk when I do it." She explains softly. You can see the scenery change outside the window, from Jen's fancy neighborhood to the little shops around the center of the town. You're only a few minutes away from home. Home. That thought feels shocking, but strangely right. It wasn't just the house itself. The witch beside you, the one you undoubtedly have feelings for, was starting to feel like home to you.
"I'm not going to try anything. I just wanna feel close to you." You look back over at her, admiring her side profile. Like you always do when you think she's not paying attention, but she glances over at you and catches you in the act,
"There's my dolcezza." She looks back to the road and whispers, hand reaching out like it knows exactly where to go. It's such a soft touch, the way her knuckles glide against your jaw. It's gone in a second, but your skin tingles as if it's trying to preserve the feeling of her skin against yours.
˚۰˚☽˚۰˚☽˚۰˚☽˚۰˚☽˚۰˚☽˚۰˚☽˚۰˚☽˚۰˚☽˚۰˚☽˚۰˚☽˚۰˚☽˚۰˚☽˚۰˚☽˚۰˚☽˚۰˚
At some point, you had fallen asleep in the passenger seat and missed half of the ride home. You only wake up when Lilia nudges you. You groan as you open your eyes, fully expecting the witch to still be in the driver's seat. Yet, she was standing outside the car on the passenger side. You had slept through pulling into the driveway, her getting out, making her way to your side of the car, and even unbuckling your seat belt.
"I wanted to let you sleep as long as possible." Lilia says when she notices the confused look on your face.
"Now who's the sweet one?" You tease with sleepy eyes and a dreamy smile. Lilia just chuckles and shakes her head at you.
"I have my moments." She mutters before reaching for your hand, "Let's get you inside."
You lean against Lilia and she helps you inside, which is much more difficult than it needs to be since you refuse to keep your eyes open for more than a few seconds. Lilia's humming certainly doesn't help either, as it almost makes you fall asleep standing up. Again, you expect Lilia to dump you on the couch, but she bypasses the living room completely and takes you to her bedroom instead.
"No, no, no. I'm not taking your bed from you again." You mutter, shaking your head against Lilia's shoulder.
"If I remember correctly, you didn't take my bed from me. I slept right beside you and I plan to do that tonight too." She insists and squeezes the arm she has around you a bit tighter, "As long as you can keep your hands to yourself."
"I will! Scout's honor." You immediately pledge, not wanting to miss a chance to sleep in her bed.
"You're not a scout." Lilia says with a lighthearted scoff and the only thing you have to say is, "So?"
Lilia laughs and sits you down on the same side of the bed that you'd previously taken over before stepping away. You were already wanting to pass out for the night, but the witch came back with two sets of her pretty silk sleep sets.
"Which ones?" She prompts, holding a cream color set with subtle lace trim and a yellow set with rather adorable barn owls on it.
"…Lils." You grumble and start to push her hands away.
"Don't make me ask again." Lilia warns you as she jostles the pajamas. You nod quickly before grabbing the off-white set. "Good. I'll change in the bathroom. I expect you to be lying down when I get back."
"Okay." You agree before suddenly remembering that you haven't seen your bag since Agatha's, "Hey, Lilia. Where's my bag?"
She stops in the doorway, looking over her shoulder with a smirk, "Don't worry. I brought it home since you decided to see how much wine your stomach could take."
"Ugh. You're never gonna let me live this down, are you?"
"Nope!" Lilia chirps before closing the bedroom door behind her. You wait until you hear the bathroom door close before changing as quickly as your limbs would allow. Luckily, you kept your phone on you and when you check the notifications, you see a missed text from Billy, who had been home for hours at this point.
Billy: "Hey. I didn't tell anyone this, but I thought you should at least know. I accidentally read Lilia's mind and-"
You stop reading with a huff, thinking you already know where he was going. It was about the bed. Yet, something urges you to look at the text again.
"-yours. I'm sorry. I really tried not to, but your thoughts were just as loud as hers. I know you're falling for her and you should know she's falling for you too. I know everyone has been teasing you about it, but I'm not. You should tell her soon. Goodnight."
Before you have the chance to type a reply or even think about what you just read, Lilia knocks on the door. I quickly lock and set your phone on the nightstand before calling out, "All good."
"I thought I told you to lay down." She sighs when she sees that you have changed, but are still sitting on the edge of the bed.
"I'm going. I was just reading a text from Billy." You defend yourself without thinking. You can only hope she doesn't ask.
"About what? Is he okay?" Lilia quizzes and you internally facepalm, trying to think of the most reasonable excuse.
"Yeah! He just let me know he got home safe. I guess we bonded over your pasta." You nod, trying to be as nonchalant as possible.
"So, He did eat it all?" Lilia grimaces at you before climbing into bed. All you can think is "Fuck", but at least you weren't caught for the other reason. Your poker face is getting better, but you still manage to get yourself in trouble with her. "We'll talk about it tomorrow. Just get in bed before I make you sleep in the bathtub."
"Now, that's just cruel." You frown right back at her as you settle under the blankets. You both lay on your sides, facing each other. It feels extremely intimate, but so right.
"You smell like wine." Lilia snorts and it makes you chuckle, "Don't laugh! If you contaminate my sheets, I'll never let you sleep in here again."
"I'm getting my own bed, remember?" You continue to chuckle and waggle your eyebrows at the witch, trying to make her threats useless.
"That doesn't mean I can't offer sleepovers, if you behave." Lilia grins, knowing exactly how to shut you up and it works every time.
"You're evil." You mumble, which only causes Lilia to give you an award-winning smile. You narrow your eyes at her and try not to be endeared by her pride, "Go to sleep."
"Ha! You don't have to tell me twice." She says before turning off the lamp on her bedside table.
You both get more comfortable. She stays on her side, facing you while you lay on your back. You're exhausted and could fall asleep at any second, but your mind won't shut up. In that one day, both Jen and Billy encouraged you to express your feelings to the witch beside you. You're not sure if it's the last bit of alcohol working its way through your system or how tired you are, but you turn to look at her.
"Lils?" You whisper and receive a tired, "Hm?"
"You were right earlier." You confess, causing Lilia to open her eyes and sit up slightly. "I do like you."
You lean in before you can talk yourself out of it, eyes falling shut to focus on the feeling of it. You feel her breath against your face, your nose brushes softly against her, and finally what you've wanted to feel since you first laid eyes on her. Your lips touch hers, they're just as soft as you imagine and you know you could get addicted to the feeling very quickly. The kiss starts slow, exploratory even. But, it quickly exudes greed when you cup her jaw between your hands, her own find you neck and waist. It was the most beautiful moment of your life, right until Lilia pulls away as if you had somehow electrocuted her.
"Oh fuck. You didn't want that. I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have. I'm-" You immediately start to spiral, turning away from her. You feel so guilty, while also blaming Jen and Billy for filling your mind with such deluded hopes. You're about to get up, ready to condemn yourself to another lonely night on the couch, when Lilia grabs your arm. Her grip is firm and unrelenting.
"Wait. Look at me." She orders you.
"Lilia, please. I know I fucked up. Do you really have to read me the riot act?" You ask, continuing to shy away from her, until her hand slips up to your cheek. She gently turns your face back to hers.
"No, I don't. Because, I did want it. But, you've been drinking." She smiles as she thumbs over your cheekbone. You lean into her touch as your fears slowly melt away. And, in true Lilia fashion, she says something to make you want to burst into flames,"Kiss me again tomorrow and I'll show you exactly how much I want it."
And, that's the moment their souls intertwined…
