I know we've only just met Caelia, but I wanna make sure she's liked since we're gonna be following her a hella lot. My idea for her is that her personality is similar to Wanda's, but she's able to tolerate people more than Wanda's able to, lol. She's also smart like her but possibly a little bit naive. Maybe a tiny bit of Blonda is in her, too. The more deep-natured part of Blonda I think we overlook that is. Granted, we're also looking at Caelia's younger days in the beginning.
DoggPocky: Haha, perhaps there's something a little different about Big. But how much really? We'll have to wait and see...
TriceTokushu: Yeah, I definitely tried to push the 'play your part' narrative in this situation. Considering Big Daddy's eagerness for perfection placed on Wanda both kinda in the show and in what I've written, I figured meeting Caelia would be based in this context. Funny how the way Caelia meets Big makes her want to bring about her analytical eye even more on a man who's both the same but slightly different than the others in this moment of time. The asthma will just have to wait and see, considering in Simply Mine I talked about disease but never went into more detail.
Lost iin Fanfiction: Lol, that's convenient! Glad you stumbled upon this story at the right time. Especially after coming back onto this fandom for a while, a whole lot has been added. I'm glad you're excited, I'm looking forward to sharing this story. Hopefully it leads up to hopes.
. . .
. .
.
"Wandaaaa!"
The pink fairy beamed as her husband's song-like call for her trumpeted from the top of the basement staircase. Flying his way down with an assortment of syrup bottles in hand and a proud look on his face. Wanda leaned against the box she was looking into, propping one knee up and laying out the other leg as she gave a smug smile.
"Found the flavors?" Wanda pretended to guess.
"Yup! Tonight's rom-com night is gonna beat last one's butt so bad!"
Wanda hummed in agreement wrapping her hands around her bent knee. She made a point of sitting in front if the box's label with her mother's name to hide it from Cosmo specifically. If he saw, he'd draw to immediate concern knowing it was a sensitive topic for Wanda. She didn't need to be asked questions right now, she just wanted to get through the box at least one time without drowning in the grief it always casted upon her.
"Did you find the snowcone machine?"
"Hm?" Wanda realized. "Oh, sorry. You know I get sidetracked down here with all this clutter."
Cosmo shook his head and tsk-tsked in berating. "You've gotta stay on schedule, baby."
"Really? I have to?" Wanda grinned. "We have all night to get through our movie list. And I'm pretty sure enough sugar to get us there."
"Yeah, but if we start later, all the bland ones will be done at midnight." Cosmo rolled his eyes. "That's my prime time, Wanda!"
"Okaaay, Seargant Coz." Wanda held her hands up. "Don't shoot me before I've pleaded."
"Hup, hup!" Cosmo played along. "Hup, find that machine! Hup, don't come back, hup! Unless you find it, hup!"
"Sergeants don't really say 'hup' every time they wanna-"
"Huppity, hup-hup! Find that snowcone machine, hup!"
"Alright!" His wife laughed. "Before you send me to bootcamp."
"Luckily for you lambchop, the bootcamp I'd run would be more sunshine than Jorgen's."
"Go organize your flavors." Wanda shooed him off. "I'm only gonna take cherry, anyway."
"Oh, I almost forgot the gummy bear toppings!"
Cosmo left so hastily that he'd let go of the syrup battles in his new-found task back upstairs. Wanda quickly raised her wand and hovered the tossed bottles above the floor before they could burst with a sticky and artificial mess. Setting them aside with her magic, Wanda shifted in her seat on the floor and back onto her knees as she turned to peer into the box once more.
The compact she'd originally found had seen better days, but there was more to this box than that. Most of the heirlooms she didn't use were in this box, but she didn't want them any less. They reminded her of who her mother was and she wanted to cling onto that tighter and tighter as years passed. The last she looked in here was more than a few godkids ago.
Wanda felt an aching sensation in her wings from pressing them against the box in an uncomfy position for too long. Arching her back as to soothe the tension, she rested her forearms against the edge of the box and her chin fell to her resting hands. Looking at the contents with a small sigh of how such few things could be all there is left of someone's life.
. . .
Awaiting her father's return home, Caelia had decided to start searching on her own for interning or job availabilities. It came by to be a little more difficult despite her degree at hand. Fairies these days were very skeptical about the 'new-age' generation of fairies. Caelia being one of them at only over a couple decades old. According to her though, that shouldn't be any reason to dismiss a fairy who was as able-bodied as one who's been around for millenniums. If never given the chance, what was the point in earning her degree at all?
That party had a lot to do with her wanting to push out of waiting around. Not to mention the conversation towards the end had been at the back of her mind as of late. Weeks after that first meeting, Caelia and Firo, or Big, had run into each other once again at a high-end event. Only this time, both left with exchanged numbers and ideas in their heads of what was to soon come. Messages and calls were sent back and forth by both of them enough already. She'd also made the grand mistake of telling her mother about the exchange, who wouldn't shut up about it. There was no off button on her for anything.
In the luxurious couch of her home living room, Caelia laid on her back with her flats kicked off in disregard. She held a nearly-full can of soda that she rested on her knee as one arm supported the back of her head. Three of her friends, Windy, Apple, and Finch, jabbered on in exchange as she turned her gaze to the ceiling above them.
"Girl," Windy spoke to her friend across the way from the couch she and Apple sat on. "How often is a text sent though?"
"Not every day, but almost." Caelia's stare remained locked with the ceiling.
"Cee!" Apple squealed. "He's a high-end with a sharp jawline. Hit that already!"
"Sh!" Caelia lifted onto her bottom and sat cross-legged on the couch. "You announcing anything man-related draws in my mom like a bloodhound."
"You said he was a Fairywinkle?" Finch asked. He sat on the floor against the base of the couch Windy and Apple sat on. Instead of taking a spot in the number of empty seating there was in the grand living room like the odd one he was.
"The very same."
He smiled faintly, lifting his soda for a sip.
Caelia grinned widely. "What?"
He swallowed with a laugh. "I dunno! You already know these 'high-types' from your own family, Cee! How's he any different?"
"Oh, he's different." She agreed with assuringly wide eyes. "He barely touched the inner circle of the party. Wallflowers can be compatible, right?"
"Hm, I don't think that qualifies as a wallflower. He could've been on break."
"Look at you, so nitpicky!" She laughed. "You didn't seem as defensive with that Daffodil you liked last year."
"Ah," he waved off. "That was until Daffodil turned out to be so possessive. I don't even think I liked her that much at all."
"Well, Big was very blasé," Caelia continued. "I don't see that being a quality of possessive."
"Wait, Big? As in Firo? As in the eldest of the three Fairywinkle boys?" Apple asked, barely drawing a breath.
Caelia smacked her lips. "Yes, Apple. Firo Fairywinkle. Would like his blood type as well?"
The red-haired fairy of course squealed as the other three's features pinched from the impact.
"Caelia, I actually cannot believe you've just stumbled upon an opportunity like this from just sitting down at a party. Who would've thought the heir of the Fairywinkle name would actually be sitting down at a party!?"
Caelia pressed back her smile. "He last sent me a text asking about our next run-in, I haven't answered though."
"Who woulda thought a Fairywinkle would come down from the throne enough to ask." Finch commented jokingly.
Apple pushed the cornflower blue fairy's shoulder from the couch. "What would you know anyway, you're a boy!"
"And not the brightest one at that." A new voice intervened. She with the long purple locks who entered, dressed in a white cotton pool dress and matching cat-eye sunglasses.
"Mum, have you been listening again?" Caelia asked.
"Only for the second half." Jessamine dismissed. "Finch, one of the sprinklers' pipe broke in the front garden. If you'd please."
The blue fairy swallowed his drink. "I'm off the clock Mrs. Oakbelle."
One look from Jessamine could kill.
"But I'm on it." Finch quickly defused, flying through the air and racing past her. The girls laughed and Jessamine quickly looked to her daughter.
"I do hope you answer that last text, Caelia." She said.
Her daughter's face fell. "What'd I say about eavesdropping, mummy."
"Oh! Me?" Jessamine held her hands to her chest before smiling cheekily. "All in good cause, dear. Answer the text."
The lady of the house left before her daughter could so much blink, unwillingly looking back at her friends. "She's such piece of work, sometimes.."
"True there," Windy said. "But, she does have a point."
"Come on, Windy.."
"Answer the text before he thinks you have no interest!" Apple encouraged.
"But I don't know if I have interest!" Caelia said, leaning forward and planting her soda on the coaster of the glass coffee table. "It's all based on texting and party talk."
"Then get him to ask you out!"
The pink fairy shrugged her brows. "Or, I could."
"Little miss forward, huh?" Windy said. "Girl, wait for him to. Trust, I know this."
Caelia lifted her soda for a drink before mumbling. "I'll think about it."
As the Okabelle's sat for dinner that evening, Caelia thought of her recent answer to Firo. Situated at the extra-long dark oak dining table in the marble material room with polished wood columns lining the sides of the grand windows draped with fine white curtains. In the middle of the table, Caelia sat across the way horizontally from her middle brother Brock. Avo and his mother sat at the opposing heads of the table.
Caelia poked at her roasted lamb. After Big had asked that he'd hoped they'd have another run-in, she'd simply given a 'so do I' in return. She figured it was enough to show interest but not too much as long as she was still wondering just how important her time spent texting him was. If he was at all important for her time when she already was trying to figure out what she was doing with her life as is. Maybe it'd be easier to just ask him out and test the waters right away, but she kept reminding herself of what Windy said on letting him call the first shot.
"Cat got your tongue, sis?" Her eldest brother asked.
The pink fairy looked to Avo. "What?"
"You've barely touched dinner, pumpkin." Her mother also commented.
"Oh, pardon." Caelia excused. "Just muddled in my thoughts."
"I could imagine why." Jessamine hinted happily, reaching for her glass of red wine. The obvious glee in her gaze meant that she hoped her daughter was dwelling on those chances with that Fairywinkle fellow she'd met at the party weeks ago. A part of Caelia didn't really want to give her mother that satisfaction of knowing what was on her mind. She pushed herself into Caelia's life enough already.
"Actually," Caelia eyed her lamb, reaching for her knife as to cut herself a morsel. "I've been thinking about job offerings. Instead of continuing to lazy around."
"Mm," Brock swallowed his wine. "My law firm might need some help with some paralegal work."
"That would hardly be Caelia's pace with what she wants." Jessamine answered. "And we don't need two of the same generation that are both in law."
Caelia popped a piece of lamb into her mouth with her fork, sharing a look with her brother.
"Looking forward to pops getting back." Avo mentioned. "Hope he stays longer."
"He's needed with clientele here by the time he does return." His mother assured. "His stay will be for a while."
Caelia gave a small squeak in her chair, clapping her fingers lightly. "Yay!"
"And I expect you three will share only good news for him when he does?"
"I mean nothing's changed so you can count on that." Brock said with a mouth full of lamb.
"Except for Caelia." Jessamine gleed. "She's got eyes for a lovely man."
The spotlight on her once again, Caelia resited rolling her eyes.
Brock snorted. "Caelia? With a guy?"
The pink fairy tossed a crumb of meat at her brother. "Buzz off."
"Manners, Caelia. And I don't see why you shouldn't be with Firo." Her mother said.
Avo looked surprised as he took a sip of his malt scotch. "You're cozied with Firo Fairywinkle?"
"I'm not cozied with him. We've barely seen each other only twice." Caelia defended.
"Okay, fine." Brock eased with a hand raise. "We're teasing, Caelia."
"I'm not, it's wonderful!" Jessamine continued, Caelia smiling gently. "At least consider calling him, dear. Before your father calls-"
A phone ringer situated in the dining room rang just then. Each of the family's children looked towards it and then to each other in a moment of frozen competition. As soon as Avo, closest to the exit, shot from his seat, his siblings raced after him.
"I get to talk to pops first!" Avo yelled.
Jessamine remained at the table. "You haven't finished!"
"Finished!" Caelia claimed.
"Finished!" Her brothers echoed.
Their mother scoffed, letting her silver fork clatter against her plate.
As the grown Oakbelle children raced to the grand living room in behaving like toddlers, they scrambled for the phone in wanting to be the first to answer.
"Who says you get to talk first?" Brock argued, lugging at the phone from his brother.
"'Cuz I'm the oldest, dolt." Avo pulled back.
"I'm the middle!"
"I'm the youngest, which means I'm favored!" Caelia snatched it from both their hands. But not before Avo swiped it in barely another second.
"Sike, mine!" The blue-haired fairy picked up and held it to his ear. "Pops? Hey! I'm good, you? Ya, I have all night to talk. Caelia..?"
His sister smirked, and he rolled his eyes before unwillingly handing it over to her. "He wants to talk to you first."
"Thank you," Caelia happily took the phone. "Papa?"
"Hi, buttercup. How are you?"
"Fine. How's the conference?"
"The usual, nothing exciting right now." Her father spoke. "Listen popsicle, would you be open to some work on one of our boards?"
Caelia gave a crooked frown. "Papa, I don't have anything against the family business, you know that. But it's not what I'm looking for."
"I know, but there's an issue. We have some clientele concerned with some violation rights in the use of magic. Based on their last experience with other companies that didn't concern themselves too much with this."
"Do you wanna hire Brock as a lawyer?"
"We're doing exchange manufacturing with leprechauns. We have a team of paralegals already, but we're looking for some involvement in gathering research on our restraint with magical aid and making sure we're not misplacing it against our customers."
"And you want me..?"
"It's a paid project, not a long-term job. But it's a stepping stone, buttercup."
Caelia tapped her finger against the phone in comprehending her father's offer. She'd always kept away from wanting to work under the family business in the off chance at reeled her under more of a spectacle from her mother, or even her father. But, it was only for a single project. Doing research for real paralegals. It may have come from her dad, but it was a start since the academy.
"Okay, papa. I'll take it."
The following morning, Jessamine Oakbelle floated through her home's main foyer. Dressed for her day plans as she looked through her envelope lilac purse and mumbled to herself. Right in time for the doorbell to ring too.
The fairy went to answer in being the closest and seeing that her kids were probably too occupied being lazy on Sunday mornings. In opening one of the mahogany doors, a delivery fairy stood before her, holding a large bouquet in his hands. An assortment of pink and blue cherry blossoms.
She looked from the flowers to him quizzically. "Yes?"
"Flowers for a Caelia Oakbelle, from Big."
"Who now?"
"Firo Fairywinkle, ma'am."
Her purple eyes widened in delight with a gaping smile. "Oh, yes! Yes, of course, we happily accept!"
She took the flowers and tipped the delivery man a generous tip. "Caelia!" She called, nodding the delivery man goodbye as she closed the door. "Caelia, dear, come here at once!"
The daughter carefully turned the corner of one archway that lead down to the kitchen, dressed as she drank pink milk tea from her favorite mug. A hazardous look was on her face from her mother's shrill call, but the large assortment of flowers caught her off guard.
"Goodness." Caelia uttered.
"For you, pumpkin." Her mother handed them over with a wide smile, taking her daughter's tea in exchange.
"Did you get me flowers, mum?"
"Look at the tag!"
Her fuchsia eyes followed down the long stems wrapped in brown paper, looking to the small greeting card attached by a string. Opening the flaps of the paper, Caelia read the written note addressed to her and signed under Big's name.
Caelia hummed. "Guess this is what I get for not answering that last text."
"Such a charmer." Jessamine came behind her daughter to clasp her shoulders. "Not just a businessman."
Caelia fiddled with the greeting card lightly between her fingers.
"And quite handsome too." Her mom added.
"Would you like to date him, then?" Caelia shrugged her mother's hands off her.
"Oh, hush." Jessamine dismissed, coming forth to stand before her again. "He didn't just simply send over flowers for any silly reason. I hope you know that."
Caelia looked away from her mother as to hide the burn of flattery in her cheeks she felt. "Oh, whatever."
In her grip against her flowers, Caelia's phone then rang. She lifted it to look at the collar ID as her mother nosily did as well, to see the name Big as she'd saved him in her contacts. Her decisions to answer barely mattered as her mother practically pushed the phone against her ear.
Caelia nudged away from her mother. "Big?"
"Ey, sweets. Did you get them?"
The Oakbelle daughter played it a little trickier with him. "Get what, exactly?"
"The flowers."
"Hm, well I've received quite a few bouquets. You might have to be more specific."
"Is that so?"
"Mhm."
"I'm referring to the ones as gorgeous as you."
Caelia urged not to blush pink in front of her mother. Big was proving to be more of a flirt the more they got to know one another, and it was showing in drastic measures compared to their first meeting when he'd acted more subtly.
"I might have an idea." Caelia glanced down at the flowers. "They're really nice Big, thank you."
"Ah, no trouble. Barely nothin'. I'm sure I could spend a little more on something for the two of us."
The pink fairy glanced down. "Big.."
"C'mon now. Have I steered you wrong yet?"
"Well, no. Of course not." Caelia responded, before smiling. "How do I know I've met all of Firo Fairywinkle yet, though?"
"You could meet him properly. How's Friday night?"
"Friday-?"
Her phone was seized by her mother's clutches. "She absolutely accepts!"
Caelia snatched her phone back, covering the speaker. "Mum, maybe get a hobby?"
Jessamine huffed, before floating off with a flick of her hair. Caelia raised the phone to her ear again.
"So, is that a yes?" Big asked on the other end.
Feeling the hesitation, but also her friends and mother's prominent voice in the back of her head, she smiled gently. "Yes, it is."
To be continued...
. . .
. .
This chapter and the next are shorter than intended. But the fourth is longer to make up for it.
I figured why not just get into Big and Caelia right away, since there's way too much else in the story to focus on. So, the sooner they are acquainted, the better. Stay tuned!
~McSgwizzle