A/N:

I don't know if it was clear in the text, but in my story - Steve is genderfluid.

Funny story, back after 'O Titan, Where art Thou' aired - I saw a tweet that claimed Dana Terrace confirmed it. In a reply they said it was just a headcanon, but - I thought they were being serious. Even after I figured out Steve isn't in canon - they are in my heart.

-

"After all, The demon inside of me wasn't as powerful as he seemed to be."

It was a lovely Sunday Morning in the Boiling Isles. The light lavender sky shone through a small window in the kid's corner of the Bonesborough Library, right behind the host. One Phillip Wittebane, sitting in a chair and reading to a group of children. Aided by his Palisman who was turning the pages for him.

He wanted to project a different appearance than his standard rather imposing fare, so Amity gave him a little bit of a makeover. A new hair color, a treebark brown, using temporary dye. Just to see if he liked it or not. As well, all the ratty gnarls were combed out of his hair, and it was tied up in a tight ponytail.

Lastly, he also got his hands on a few new outfits. The one he was currently wearing consisted of a crisp white shirt, black trousers, and a red vest.

He had just finished reading a small picture book, 'The Demon inside of Me', with a simple moral about learning to regulate and control your emotions. While the children were initially upset that there was a new host, they soon warmed up to his smooth as silk voice.

"Alright, my little witchlings. It looks like we're almost out of time. But before we depart, I would like to read one of my personal favorite nursery rhymes."

Phillip grabbed a book from his bag, one that Luz managed to borrow from the Gravesfield Archaeological Society. The very same book of nursery rhymes that he had growing up. Of course, the whole thing was already scanned for archival purposes - so Masha didn't care that Luz wanted to borrow it for a bit.

"One of my earliest memories is my mother reading this to me. It's called - Three Bad Ones."

He opened the book and held it up so everybody could read along, but the writing was so flowery and old none of the children actually could.

Phillip cleared his throat, and began to read. "Tom tied a kettle to the tail of a cat. Jill put a stone in a blind man's hat. Bob threw his grandmother down the stairs! Then they all grew up ugly and nobody cares."

The sudden tonal shift made the entire group of tots die laughing. Seeing them like this…Phillip had to choke back a tear of happiness.

"That's all, for now. I hope to see each and every one of you back next week. But until then, this is goodbye." He said with a small nod, sliding the book back into his satchel.

One of the kids ran up, wrapping his leg in a small hug. "Goobye, Mister Wit-uh-bin!" they squeaked.

"I'd say that went very well. The kids were extremely receptive to you." Hieronymus said, as he and his boyfriend flew on Palisman-Back towards the University of Wild Magic.

Of course, being the headmaster of Hexside he had tremendous amounts of experience in the Education Field - and since he retired, he had plenty of time to help his boyfriend.

"I had so much fun!" Phillip replied, with a smile that would just not come off his face. He could barely even think about work right now. But - he had to. At the University, the plan was for him to start as a Teaching Assistant for the rest of the semester, if that went well he'd be transitioned into a full time teacher.

Headmaster Eda greeted the happy couple as they stepped of Phillip's staff. Well, she greeted Bump with open arms - she mostly sort of ignored the other one.

"Say, this scenery…" Phillip butted in. "It looks rather familiar- did you set up where my ca-"

"We TORE down your castle and established my university on top of it's ASHES!" Eda taunted. "In 'yo FACE!"

"Uhm, alright…" Phillip backed off as he felt droplets of her spittle spray his face. "But- what happened to the statues that were stored in the Conformitorium? Please don't tell me you threw them out."

"Oh, nope." Eda's expression dropped slightly. "We repurposed that building as a sort of memorial, we couldn't think of anything else to do of it."

By Phillip's estimation, there were probably…50 statues? Petrification was never Belos' favorite method of execution. It was slow. Better for sending a message. Otherwise he just took mercy and made it quick.

Fuck- That line of thinking made Phillip feel sick to his stomach. Focus on the positives, focus on the positives! That meant he could revive the petrified ones.

Though, there was one statue hidden away, in a secret grotto, that Edalyn was unlikely to have found.

Samuel.

'I will come back for you.' Phillip mentally affirmed, closing his eyes and confidently nodding.

Stepping into the University, he could only describe it as a nightmare dreamt up by MC Escher. The buildings, halls, and corridors were sprawling and labyrinthine. It made his head spin just trying to get from point A to point B, and that was with a guide.

Something Eda took as a badge of pride.

What appeared to be the primary building looked to be constructed out of a carved out tree, once gargantuan but now a husk. It all had a very rustic charm - dare he say, it was beautiful.

Eventually, they made it to what appeared to be a small lounge. "Good news, you two!" Eda said with a big old smile, as she threw the door open. Two other people were in there, both sitting on the couch and discussing lesson plans. Flora D'Splora, and her assistant - Steve!

Flora was the best historian in the Boiling Isles. If anybody would be able to teach an unbiased view of history, not tainted by Belos' propaganda, it would be her.

And Steve,

Steve didn't really want to be a teacher, truth be told. But they liked helping out wherever they could - and just sort of fell into being a teaching aid. They fully expected to leave any day once they found something they could properly be passionate about. They were a sort of drifter, going from place to place and job to job.

"This, is Phillip." Eda gestured to him. "He's an aspiring teacher. Flora, I trust you to take him under your wing! Really show him how it's done around here.

"Oh, hello." Replied Steve, Their well-kempt black hair at their shoulders, wearing a muted yellow t-shirt with their own name on it. Tacky, but to everyone else they considered it a power move.

Phillip gave a small bow. "My name is Phillip Wittebane, it's a pleasure to meet you both."

His voice made both of them stop and think. Steve was the one who spoke up first. "Waiiiit a minute, have I met you before? That voice sounds…so familiar…"

Phillip looked over at Bump and Eda for clues on what to do, but unfortunately they had nothing. "Oh, yes, I was a higher up in the Emperor's Coven." Not a lie per se, but a half truth. "Perhaps we've met before? I apologize, my memory is not what it once was."

Flora squinted. He looked really old, retirement age even - someone who should be sipping alcoholic drinks on a yacht traveling the boiling sea. She shrugged and let it go…for now.

Eda smiled. "He's the world's foremost expert on Emperor Belos and the garbage he spewed!"

"I am not." Phillip replied. "It's something I've studied, but, I'd prefer to be a general historian" He just made up something on the spot.

"We're working on a unit on the Savage Ages, would you be able to help?" Flora raised an eyebrow, waiting for his response. Using it as a sort of barometer.

"Do you mean The Deadwardian Era? I would love to." Phillip nodded, taking a seat on a small office chair. While neither of them lost their air of suspicion, they laid off pressing him…For now. After all, they didn't have time to play detective when the damn unit started tomorrow and still wasn't fully mapped out.

Phillip tried, his mind did recall some things long since lost to history, and he mostly just bullshitted through the rest. Perhaps this wasn't the best path for him, after all…But it was the path he was on. He was at least going to stick it out enough to see if he could make it work, isn't that what the purpose of the trial period was?

Plus, if he wanted to be independent, he reallyyyyy needed the snails….