Hello! This is a fic that I've been wanting to write and post for a while. I hope you will enjoy it, and I would love to hear your thoughts about it!
Chapter 1: The one that got away.
The faint sound of the birds singing has caught her attention, or as much attention one could have while still stuck between consciousness and unconsciousness. She felt the movement on the bed, and arms around her pulling her closer. There was a warm breath on her neck, and the feeling of safety, of being at home.
She slowly opened her eyes, grimacing at the light as her eyes were still trying to adjust. She moaned as she tried to move, and turned to the person hugging her.
Chariot Meridies smiled, as her eyes met her wife's. Croix gave her a lazy smile, and hugged her closer.
"Good morning, babe." Croix said, kissing her forehead. The redhead smiled and gave her a quick kiss on the lips.
"Good morning, Chérie." Chariot answered, nuzzling her. Her smile grew wider when she felt her wife's fingertips running through her hair, while her other hand gently rubbed her arm.
Chariot didn't want to leave to work, not while feeling this happy, this comfortable. "I don't want to go to work." She whined, and kissed her lover while caressing her cheek.
"Then don't go." Croix chuckled, paying her back with another kiss.
"But I have to."
"We can get remarried and have another honeymoon so that you don't need to work."
"Really?"
"Nope."
"Aw." Chariot pouted, but then chuckled when Croix kissing her neck, she then started blowing there instead, causing the redhead to laugh. "Hey! Stop!"
"Okay, I'll stop." Croix winked, then started tickling her instead.
Chariot struggled to escape and pulled Croix down for a passionate kiss. The lilac haired witch reciprocated and smiled against her lips.
Pulling away, Croix looked down at her with a smirk.
"It's your turn to make breakfast." She said.
"It's always my turn to make breakfast." Chariot rolled her eyes. She left the bed and moved to the bathroom.
Croix watched her leave, fondly, then moved away to change her clothes.
It's been 7 years since the missile incident, seven years since the grand triskelion seal has been unlocked.
After that incident, Croix promised Chariot that she would find a cure to Wagandea's curse, and give her back her ability to fly. She kept her promise, and came back with it, and when she did, she and Chariot started dating.
She was unsure of it at first. She knew of her feelings towards her old friend, but she was not sure if things could ever work out between them after everything that has happened.
Yet here they are, married for almost seven years.
Most people would say that they moved really fast, but after a few months of dating, they just knew it was what they wanted. It felt right.
They were happy, and they were in love. They were like two pieces of a puzzle that finally found their places together.
Chariot was still teaching under the name Ursula, while Croix made advancements with her modern magic, and it was becoming more acceptable amongst people.
She had the help of Paul Hanbridge, who has been interested in learning more about magic thanks to his son, and being the ambitious woman she is, she took her opportunity.
She lazily fixed her hair for the day, and finished buttoning up her shirt, before moving to the kitchen, and hugging her wife from behind.
Chariot leaned back into her, as she finished cooking.
The two moved to the table.
"You have to replace one of the professors today, right?" Croix asked, taking a bite from her food.
"That's right. It's a potion class, and while I'm not fond of that subject too much, It will be over before I know it." Chariot said, eating as well. "I'm the only available professor today."
"I can take in your place. I don't mind having two shifts." Croix said, taking a sip of her coffee. Unfortunately, the black liquid stopped having an effect on her after she consumed it too much.
"You already work a lot, Chérie." Chariot said, smiling. "I can handle it."
"You work just as much." The lilac haired witch argued. "One of these days, I'm taking you on a vacation."
"Croix Meridies the workaholic wants a vacation? How time has changed you." Chariot teased her, and giggled when she received an offended look.
"Now, excuse you. I am still a workaholic, but I want you to rest and I want to spend time with my wife." She said, crossing her arms, and the redhead finished her food and walked to her, kissing her cheek.
"I would love that." She said, brushing a few bangs off the emerald eyed woman's face. "I have to go now. I'll miss you. I love you." She said, hugging her, before walking towards the door.
"I love you too!" Croix said, and her wife waved at her in response.
Croix smiled, and looked back at her food, then looked around. Two mugs, two plates, two of everything… Just seeing things in that number brought a warm feeling.
She had never thought she and Chariot could have this, not after everything she has done, and yet here they were…
She once thought that being tied down would affect her work and ambitions, give a limit to them, but that wasn't the case.
She and Chariot have always been dreamers since day one, and somehow, they were still their own people, their own dreamers.
Chariot had become better at teaching, and she enjoying helping those girls when other professors wouldn't. Croix had made a lot of progress with her research, and while she didn't want something she made for Chariot to be something that she would get a lot of credit for.
However, Chariot convinced to share the cure with the world, knowing that it would help so many witches who have lost hope recovering from the curse.
And so, she did.
She briefly looked at her ring, before standing to clean the table. Her own shift was in the evening, so she could at least get a calm morning.
Meanwhile, Chariot walked in the hallways, humming a song that used to play during her shows. Her manager called it the Shiny Chariot them, which was very embarrassing, looking back at it now.
She missed all the trouble Akko would cause back in the day. Some students were troublesome, of course, but none of them could cause so many disasters like the brunette.
She wondered if she was doing okay with her show preparations. She called her a day ago, talking about how she had some plans and needed her and Croix to help her.
Some of the kids stayed at the school as professors, one of them was Sucy Manbavaran, who decided it would be better to work on potions here with all the resources and information in the school. The other was Jasminka, who showed interest in becoming headmistress.
Diana was now the head of the Cavendish family, and one of the most important witches of this generation.
Chariot didn't have much contact with the others, but she knew from Akko that they were doing well. She was happy to hear that their bonds were strong enough for them to meet up and keep contact even after graduating.
It was beautiful, really.
She moved to the classroom, and wondered why did they have a wider staff if they would still throw so much work at her.
She had a hunch the professors loved bullying her.
She entered the classroom to find a rather… chaotic class.
First years… of course.
In the past few years, the school expanded and had more professors and more classes to teach. However, more students with no magic background showed interest after the whole missile incident, which… wasn't bad but it would usually lead to disasters because the professors still wouldn't bother to teach them the basics.
Chariot smiled at the students who were all over the place. Once they saw her, they tried to go back to their seats, leading to some of them tripping over each other…
"Um, hello! I will replace your professor for today, so I hope we get along." She said with a smile, and the students just stared at her silently.
"Hey, aren't you Shiny Chariot?" One of the students asked, and the professor internally groaned. "I've seen videos of you on witchtube! You're pretty cool!"
"Is it really you? Can you show us some of your tricks?"
"I am sorry, but I no longer use that title." Chariot sighed, then smiled encouragingly. "How about we start with our lesson?"
She made a mental note to ask Croix if she could hack into witchtube or something.
The lesson went fine for the most part. Chariot wasn't an expert in potion making, but she knew what was needed for today. The students seemed to be bright, and caught on her hints quickly.
She looked at the clock, and couldn't wait to see her wife again before going to her next class.
She played with her ring, distracted, until a student asked her something.
"Are you married professor?" The student was a brunette who reminded her slightly of Akko. She chuckled.
"I believe this is what the ring is for." The redhead said, adjusting her glasses. "Shouldn't you be working on your potion?"
"I am! I just finished it with my team." She grinned. "Would you like to see it?"
"Oh, in that case, sure!" Chariot said, then frowned when she smelled something burning.
She turned to the source, and saw one of the teams freaking out over their pot. The smell made her eyes burn.
"What is happening over there?" She asked as she started to cough, and used a spell to shield the students from it.
"I… I kept putting every ingredient to see which one would work and-" Before the student would finish, the liquid inside the pot started growing into a bubble.
"Everyone, leave the classroom!" Chariot yelled, and the students followed her orders.
She pointed her wand at the bubble, trying to conceal it and stop it from exploding.
Unfortunately, she failed to do it in time, the sound of an explosion was heard, and then there was smoke coming out the door.
That was how Croix found herself pacing back and forth in front of the nurse's office, waiting for any news about her wife. She has been there for a while, and Croix would have preferred an actual hospital, but at least they called a doctor instead of leaving it to just a nurse.
She was losing her patience, and she ran a hand through her hair, feeling frustrated.
She should have taken that class instead, she should have taken her place.
She should have tried to convince her to go back to sleep while she went to teach this stupid class.
This was her fault, she should have done something. She should have complained about the poor management of this stupid school and made her stay in bed.
Croix's hands trembled, as she struggled to control her fear and anger.
She will be okay.
It was just a potion accident, if it was that dangerous there would have been more of a fuss, right?
Everything will be alright, and she will hold her in her arms again.
Chariot was strong, nothing could take her down.
With that thought in her mind, the door opened.
The doctor stared at her somberly.
"She's awake." He said, and Croix just pushed through him, without hearing what he had to say.
She walked in, to see her wife lying on the white bed, looking dazed. The redhead was looking around in confusion, before looking at her with lost eyes.
Croix rushed to her side, and took the seat beside her, before holding her hand.
"Hey babe. I'm here." The lilac haired witch said, softly. She gently rubbed her thumb against her lover's hand. "Are you okay?"
Chariot just looked at her in confusion. She glanced at their hands, but didn't do a thing. She instead looked back into those emerald eyes, that stared at her with so much love and worry.
She opened her mouth to speak.
Croix Meridies has been through a lot. She has lost her dream to her best friend, she has been forgotten by her mentor, and she had the work she spent ten years building turn against her and try to kill her.
Yet none of that has hurt her more than the words she just heard.
"Who are you?"