When Mary said she wouldn't leave his side, she wasn't kidding. The next morning, Eli woke up to Mary's face mere inches from his own, startling him so badly he tumbled off the makeshift bed in the living room.
"Sugar, is everythin' okay?" Millie called from the kitchen, concern etched on her face as she peeked around the corner.
Eli groaned and gave her a thumbs-up while Mary, invisible to Millie, floated above him, giggling mischievously.
In the bathroom, Eli brushed his teeth, his mind still half-asleep. Just as he leaned forward to spit out the water, he caught sight of Mary's face in the mirror, watching him intently. He let out an audible yelp.
Outside, Moxxie and Millie glanced at the bathroom door in surprise.
"You okay in there, sport?" Moxxie asked, leaning against the doorframe.
"I'm fine…" Eli replied, his dry tone carrying through the door.
"Alright then, just let us know if somethin's wrong." Moxxie said, returning to the dining table to continue reading Hell's Daily while Millie washed her hands and joined him.
At work, Eli sat at his desk, buried in paperwork, while Loona napped nearby. Mary hovered behind him, occasionally glancing at the forms and offering unsolicited advice. It turns out she was noblewoman and she actually manage to provide surprisingly useful insights.
Even during his bathroom breaks, Mary followed him. Just as he prepared to take care of business, Mary's gaze bore into him from the side, making the situation unbearably awkward.
"Out." Eli demanded, pointing toward the stall door.
Mary pouted childishly. "Oh, c'mon. I've seen your 'sword of justice' since you were a baby. What's the big deal?" Throwing her arms and legs around like a toddler throwing a tantrum.
"That was when I was a baby." Eli argued, his voice muffled from inside the stall.
Mary crossed her arms and huffed. "Who said anything about just your early years? I've been watching you grow all the way up till last year!"
Eli froze mid-thought, horrified. He stepped out of the stall, washing his hands quickly. "Good thing I never masturbated, then. That would've been even weirder." He muttered under his breath.
"Isn't it a little weird that you've been observing this?" He asked, drying his hands and walking toward the door.
Mary floated after him with a dramatic flourish. "What's wrong with making sure you're growing strong and healthy? I had to check for any problems or mishaps." Her tone was full of pride, as if she deserved a medal for her diligence.
Eli shook his head with a listless smile. "I can't believe I'm having this conversation with my great-grandmother." He thought. Out loud, he croaked, "Just… no more. Please?"
Mary sighed theatrically. "Fine, I won't." She said with mock defeat. Unbeknownst to Eli, she crossed her fingers behind her back, a sly smile on her lips.
Suddenly, Millie's voice rang out from the other room. "YEW-FUCKIN' HAW!" She hollered, loud enough to shake the walls.
Eli tensed, a chill running down his spine. The last time she'd squealed like that, it ended with him and Moxxie being tackled into next week.
"Twelve o'clock." Mary said with amusement.
Before Eli could react, a red blur rocketed toward him, tackling him at full force and knocking the air from his lungs.
Eli wheezed, looking down at Millie, who was squeezing him in a death grip. "Hey, Ma." He managed to croak, struggling for breath.
Completely oblivious to his pain, Millie grinned at him with a bloodthirsty excitement. "Didn't ya hear? We're going to the Ring of Wrath for the Harvest Moon Festival!" She exclaimed. "And my Ma and Pa will be there—that's your Nana and Papa!"
Hovering invisibly above them, Mary giggled at Eli's strained smile. "That explains why Prince Stolas needed his grimoire back." Eli muttered as he finally caught his breath. "When are we leaving?"
"Today, sugar!" Millie beamed before setting him down. "YOU HEAR THAT, LOONA? I BETTER SEE THAT ASS MOVIN'!" She hollered toward the office.
"I'M MOVING, I'M MOVING. JEEZ, CHILL, BITCH!" Loona yelled back, clearly annoyed.
Millie turned back to Eli, pinching his cheek affectionately. "You too, sugar. Go get ready!" She said cheerfully before skipping away.
Eli rubbed his cheek, watching his foster mother disappear down the hall. Behind him, Mary floated with an amused smile. "You heard her, Eli. Better get moving." She teased, leading him away.
Once everyone was ready, they loaded up into the van and headed for the Ring of Wrath, one of the seven rings of Hell. Unlike most parts of Hell, Wrath had a distinctly rural vibe, often resembling a sprawling farm country. To blend in, the I.M.P. team dressed in country-style clothing.
Stolas had given Eli an older grimoire for protection since he's gonna need it for the Harvest Moon Festival. Though not as powerful as the prince's own, it retained the transformation spell, which Eli used to shift into an imp that resembled both Moxxie and Millie—a touch that delighted the married couple to no end.
They arrived at the Rough N' Tumbleweed Ranch, where two imps stood waiting to greet them. Joe, Millie's father, was a tall, rugged imp, while Lin, her mother, bore an uncanny resemblance to her daughter.
The moment the van stopped, Millie leapt out. "Ma! Pa!" She yelled, running into Joe's waiting arms.
"There's my little pumpkin spice!" Joe exclaimed, squeezing her tightly.
"I'm doin' fine, Pa! Thanks for letting us stay for the harvest!" Millie said happily.
"Aw, it's nothin', darlin'. No way we'd leave our girl hangin'." Lin chimed in, placing a hand on Millie's shoulder. Her gaze shifted to the van, where Eli was unloading luggage with Moxxie. Her eyes lit up when she spotted him. "Well, ain't this a surprise. Is that who I think it is?"
Millie chuckled. "Yep! Eli, come here and meet your grandparents!" She called.
Eli straightened up and approached them. "Hello, Nana. Hello, Papa." He greeted respectfully, extending a hand.
Lin's expression hardened. "Put that hand down, mister." She said sternly, startling him. Before he could react, she pulled him into a crushing hug. "And give yer Nana a proper hug, yew-haw!" She exclaimed, bouncing slightly as she squeezed him.
Joe and Millie laughed at Eli's stoic expression, which was now trapped in Lin's exuberant embrace.
Above them, Mary floated invisibly, watching the scene unfold with a soft chuckle.
A/N: It's the harvest moon chapter yay!
Thanks for the concern, that's all I could say.
Headache I'm having a headache!