Maintaining the tube:
One of Charlie's newest activities for everyone was sharing with a group, a trait one wanted to change or didn't like. Could be any part of yourself from your body to a part of your personality. First to step up was Elanye that surprised everyone except her nephew and niece. She never got around to sharing with everyone with some objecting. Angel Dust and Husker jointly compliment her. Alastor and Serenity shared what they liked about her. Mirabelle listed all the nice things she was good at in her eyes.
"I thank those that spoke up," She was touched, "I am still going to say my klutzy traits." She simply put it.
"Like when you tripped over Muun and almost dropped an open bottle of vinegar onto my leopard?" Hepzibah asked.
"Mixed dye bins color up or spun wrong feather fibers." Corbin added.
Lucifer took a seat rather late in attending this activity just when Elanye was one that shared. Taking in when her own niece and nephew were sharing her faults. He tightly gripped the handle of his walking stick ready to discipline them.
"Aren't you two supposed to be defending your aunt?" Charlie is let down by Corbin and Hepzibah, "Since your family."
"A Bloodmarch is taught to go for the jugular." Both answered.
"Harsh." Vaggie didn't want to know about their family dynamics.
"But still?" Charlie didn't understand.
Hepzibah's eyes let up to fill the space around them all with white orbs reflecting Elanye's moment. Times when she was caught so much in her latest read, she forgets the world around her. Over bakes or cooked a dish she was making for that day. Left one her more colorful delicates in with her brothers during laundry. Got a papercut doing paperwork or turning a page of a book.
"To be error is to be human." Corbin quoted.
Lucifer's voice was caught in his throat when he watched the memories shown to everyone. Showing the more foolish sides of Elanye not everyone got to see. Despite what he was still learning about her from his children and rumors. She and her family were turning out to be more different from the crowd.
"They very much understand my kin, your highness," Elanye proudly informed Charlie, "If you cannot be completely honest with someone you love and trust, how can you be with your own Blood?"
She further made that point when she reached out and stroked Corbin's topple hair. His eyes went wide when he felt an empathic bond he hadn't yet formed. One of familial he always knew was slowly building between them as they interacted. One he refused to have reform between his mom and him for her sanity. Like one that naturally formed between him and his uncles.
"I hate," He shouted, "That I was a freaking late bloomer with my magic."
"I wish I was more ladylike then my aunt." Hepzibah followed.
"Oh dear," Elanye didn't know these views, "Being honest aren't we."
Shocked smirk on Alastor's face over the teens blurting out left Charlie speechless. Serenity tried to process this new info as Mirabelle just giggled over it. Angel Dust and Cherri Bomb were trying their best not to give their own critics. Husk was a mixture of trying to not laugh while feeling conflicted. Niffty blank staring at the pair had Corbin leaning to Hepzibah.
"Does she still creep you out?" Had to ask her.
"What she does with those needles gets kinda scary." Hepzibah she whispered back.
Corbin felt Cornelius coiling back onto his shoulders while Hepzibah's unnamed leopard hid behind her. Left them distracted from the guests still a few feet away. Who heard everything Elanye and teens said upon entering the parlor area.
"Uh…" Octavia felt awkward, "Hey."
Corbin recalled his plans to hang with her and unofficially meet her brother at a tea house. Hepzibah elbowed him in teasing before he got to his feet to greet Octavia. What Hepzibah got was a lingering stare from him as he held back a certain gesture. Made his way to Octavia as another set of eyes were on him. A second guest and Lucifer just quietly watched him move toward his friend.
" … how much did you hear?" Corbin asked Octavia.
"Everything." She had to have him explain from the beginning.
Corbin said his farewells to everyone while promising Mirabelle about seeing her later. Pulling on his hood and gloves while shouldering a miniature duck shaped backpack. Bowing to their second guest and Lucifer as he pulled away.
"May I inquire what's going on?" Their second guest finally broke his silence.
"We're admitting our faults," Elanye answered, "Does one of his highnesses like to step up and be next?"
"I wouldn't know where to start?" Lucifer 's eyes fell on his son, "I am kinda going to need some ….help."
8*8
View for one could see from Constantine's castle was a sight Elanye always saw on her broom. Just from behind glass and holding still was different for her. Hustle and bustle of the pride ring below was always changing. Demons coming and going with street music mixed in with the violence sounds. Turned up side trash cans used to be beaten on like a drum by weathered hands. Flute carved from an old pipe that was thin enough to be used as one. Homemade harp made from twisted metal and wire. Created a settled tune she could make out when she closed her eyes. Focusing on that sound in the quiet was one of those rare moments for her.
"Found something interesting?" Constantine found her, "How different it is from when you're moving about on your broom? Since this is a stationary spot where little sound can reach."
"…" She hushed him.
His answer came when she offered her bare hand to him to share what she was hearing. He took by gently weaving his own bare hand with her own fingers. Like many times before when the soft skin of her palm touched his rough one. Bringing him to their ever expanding bond in their mental landscapes. In blankness a single tune played among the noise pollution, that filled the sky. A tad off with note being out of play here and there when he stood still. Taking in her discovery with his tail just swaying behind him as they shifted.
"Dance with me throughout the 7 rings and below the dead sea?" She whispered through their bond.
"I will follow you,
to the edge of all our days,
to our very last
tomorrows." He came to answer, "Atticus."
Stance taken many times before they took with him witnessing one of his favorite features, her smile. One she always wore when she stumbled or fumbled beside him. Quickly regaining her graceful composure in those rare instances when it was just them. Drew a smile on his face when he looked upon her and found. her blush was as red red as the petals of a newly blooming spider lily looking back at him. This shared closeness he never saw her missing was a welcomed one.
"My nails and feathers," He recalled what he overhead as they spun, "I don't file down and clip my nails on a daily basis, they get sharp like razor's edge. My feathers on some parts of my body are shed when I sleep. Covering my bed before I was, which makes cleaning up a chore when I wake."
"My family solved that problem with the harpies years ago," She spoke of her family 's methods, "I am willing to share with you before I leave for my book club."
"Shall we? I did make a promise to attend the next time you went," He wondered, "I forgot your experiences with the more feral avian species and your living conditions."
"You don't have to ask twice." She found them stopping.
Neither one noticed how their lips came together in a tender kiss with him slowly sliding the hand. Up from the Small of her back his fingers slowly slid her torso to her shoulder. To the back of her neck until he reached the back of her choker for a second and then moved on. Finally stopping to cup the side of her face where her single pierced ear was.
"Someday you'll have to explain these," He told her, "I know one stores your broom."
"Gemstone clasp is for storage as large one holds extra magical energy for emergencies," She pointed out, "Small loop and trio used depending on the family member. Personally, I just use them for random acts with everything I do."
His other hand with her own still holding each other with their fingers now interlocking. Which would be used to retreat them to his private chambers for more privacy. Walk was brisk at a set pace with no servant present to watch the two. Echos of the door creaking closed for a moment of pause between them.
8*8
Serenity saw a new face with Wywave when he was helped in unloading the usual supply drop off. Mummified rabbit's foot and miniature horseshoe caught her attention. They hang from the loop of an ornate belt wrapped around his waist. He was around Wywave's height in an asymmetrical shirt with long sleeves. He laced up his footwear to his braided hair was neatly braided. Milky white eyes and lack of finger nails were interesting physical features. Ended up being left alone when Wywave had to search for Vaggie. Left this stranger alone to pull on a wrap he covered his head and most of his shoulders.
"Your smell," His nostrils flared as he inhaled in her direction, "Are you the Overlord that deals in luck?"
"Seems my reputation precedes me," She stayed alert, "Why ask?"
"It's been a long time since I've met anyone that deal in luck," His voice filled with sorrow, "I am a Luck Fae from Mischance bloodline in hell."
"Oh." She didn't know how to process what he said.
"Handful of us still around dispense and eat the luck depending on the person we come across," He explains, "We're able to identify people by smell and yours is my favorite scent. Musty- Spice mix."
She opens her mouth to say something to only get an apology from him about speaking out of turn. He meant his words about her smell since he couldn't see her.
"Let's go." Wywave disterruped their conversation.
"Good day Misfortune." His voice faded with his footsteps.
What stayed on her mind long after she left the hotel to meet with Constantine for their check in. What she saw was Constantine saying his farewells to Elanye. Affectionate manner of their connected hands smiles both wore to lighten her mood. Didn't mean her presence wasn't unnoticed when Elanye waved at her.
"I was sharing with Constantine about Roh meeting you," She brought up the stranger, "His approach was cute since he usually doesn't talk."
"A admirer?" Constantine asked with a single lifted eyebrow.
"He noticed my smell unlike you two," She deflected while turning attention to them, "Everyone else can see it and you still haven't figured it out?"
Elanye went wide-eyed at the points Serenity was trying to make with Constantine, when she brought up a few things. First was how Constantine couldn't stop thinking about Elanye. Somehow he always had her on his mind in some form or another. Second was how she knew him better than anyone else. His snacking habits and daily routine were slowly learned by her. Third both prioritize spending time with each other despite their busy schedules. Him visiting the hotel and her coming to his castle to see the other. Fourth was how affectionate Constantine had become. He was currently holding her hand in front of Serenity and smiling a tad more. Fifth was Elanye's quirks that Constantine was coming to adore. List he already mentally made was ALONG one and ever growing.
"While you were away," Serenity brought up when Elanye was away, "He was always wondering about you."
"Then and now maybe I realize … I will love you,
Not starting with
Your skin or
Your organs or
Your bones:
I will love madly first,
Your naked soul," Constantine confessed it wasn't her beauty he falling for, "Christopher Poindexter."
"And if you are to love,
love as the moon loves;
it does not steal the night —
it only unveils the beauty
of the dark," She answered back, "Isra Al-thibeh."
Small smile appeared on Constantine's face when he looked into those crystal blue eyes. Unlit way they always reflected when not under a magical influence. Look like the eyes of an animal with night vision when seen in the dark.
"Play nice you two." Elanye whispered as she pointed out the time to Constantine, "For you both, I am not taking you can't make it as an excuse."
Serenity was handed a simple invite that didn't come in an envelope and was made of premium cardstock. Ink lettering told her she was invited to attend a day of fun. Time and place were clearly printed with doodles done by Mirabelle.
"My niece's promised day at LuLu Land," Constantine answered Serenity, "Attendee list is long."
"Makes me one of the fortune few." Serenity didn't know how to react.
"She dictated while Corbin and Octavia recorded," Elanye sent out her orbs, "Hephzibah arranged to create the invites."
Each orb showed a parlor filled with three teens and chatty Mirabelle hugging a duck plushie. She spoke a name a minute in a pure state of excitement. Map of LuLu landed on the coffee table and was covered in her toys. Wooden figurines presenting who she wanted were placed at the entrance.
"Those figurines look a lot like us." Serenity was impressed with the likeness.
"Your brothers' work?" Constantine asked Elanye.
"Mirabelle demands and they produce," Elanye spoke of Mirabelle's newest toys, "Between duckie plushie your father gave her and hand painted figurines. She's going to have a unique toy collection."
8*8