when the fire's at my feet again

He wasn’t him, Nora told herself over and over, a thought that was accompanied by deep breaths in a poor attempt to keep her emotions in check. The nymph would have given anything for another day with her dad, but not like this… That shadow of Clark Segen wasn’t what her father had actually been. Seeing that shade had shaken her and all she wanted was to kick that faded image from her mind so it wouldn’t in any way ruin the vibrant and lively memory of her father.

Her relief upon running to Avery was more quickly showed on her expression than she could ever muster with words. The nymph ran towards her friend and help her tightly. “I’m okay” she reassured her because no shade had harmed her, her fire magic still intact. “But I did see him” she admitted quietly, tightly closing her eyes and holding Avery a little tighter.

Avery immediately tightened her arms around Nora, pulling the other girl in closer as she let out a shaky breath of her own. “Oh, god, Nora, I’m so sorry.” She rubbed her back and tucked her face carefully in the older nymph’s shoulder. 

She hadn’t seen her sister and she hoped she wouldn’t, but something in her gut said she would. But the idea of seeing something like Hannah tonight? The idea on its own was disturbing. “Are you okay?”

It had been a roller coaster of emotions since Avery had written the article that had seemingly tanked her entire career, at least in Lethe. All she had wanted since it had happened was to talk to Aurélie but in the truth of it, she was scared. Slowly, legs feeling like jelly, she walked to the door and knocked, her heart in her throat. She was hoping for forgiveness. But she certainly wasn’t expecting it.

The streets were chaotic, with people and spirits everywhere. She could hear people crying, maybe from seeing deceased loved ones or just fear, she didn’t know. She knew that she herself certainly didn’t want to see her sister; in fact, all she could think about was getting home to Terra. She wasn’t sure if these things could get inside but if they could... the last thing that little girl needed was waking up to her dead mother. It wasn’t like the sitter would be able to stop it.

Avery rounded a corner quickly, halting just before running straight into Nora. Relief pulled at her face as she tugged the other girl into a hug. “Oh my god, are you okay?” Had she seen anything? Had she seen Clark?

“Um… Yeah Xander’s… Xander’s the same. He’s alright. Worried about business, since that’s his forte… money…” He semi-lied, but it didn’t matter did it? “Oh, you can put that in the freezer. I’m not…” Despite that it looked like all he was doing was staying home and eating, he in fact could barely stomach anything. Maybe ice cream would be a nice refreshment, but he couldn’t think about that now. 

“Yeah, no, I get that. It makes sense. How long do you think repairs can take?” She watched him carefully before moving to put it in the freezer, then she moved closer again. “How are you though? You know it’s okay to be upset by this.” she didn’t know a lot about the Walsh’s parents, but she knew they had passed and the business was inherited. It would be insane for the boys not to be upset or maybe even a little depressed.

“What, I don’t look like him?” she joked. “Thanks, Ave. Really. I don’t know when that will be. I don’t know what I want to say. Wanna help me craft something maybe?” She pulled out her phone and dragged a horizontal pool chair closer to Avery for Tate to lay on. She hopped onto her stomach and pulled up his number. The name was ‘Milo (Father?)’. “First step is, you know, ‘hi.’ Right?” She texted. ‘This is Tate. Hi.’ It seemed all so formal, but she didn’t want to send emojis or anything. That was fucking weird. She turned towards her stepsister. “You won’t hate me if I end up hating this guy? You’ll take my side? Even though Peter loves the guy?”

“Now that I know, I can see some similarities. Your eyes. Some of your expressions, even, which is kind of insane.” She glanced at her sister and smiled  “Saying hi is perfect. And hon, of course I will. I’ll never even go in the bookshop again. I love the Cadoc boys, but you know I’m in your corner. I will always choose you.” It was true. She chose to consider Tate her sister, and hoped Tate was the same, even though she knew Tate didn’t consider their parents her parents. She hoped she was different. It only took seconds for Tate’s phone to beep with a text, probably from Milo.

Terra was at school, and while part of Avery wanted to bring her to pick herself, she also wanted to surprise the small girl with the addition to the family. Terra was fascinated with Tate’s bearded dragon and initially said that she wanted one of her own, but that had slowly shifted into her wanting a turtle. Landon, the grief counselor who met with them both every two weeks still, had praised that idea and told Avery about this event. Apparently, he and his younger sister had both been obsessed with turtles themselves. 

“I think this one is great,” she said, eyeing the small creature that seemed friendly enough as she lifted him from the pin. “What do you think?” she asked the person closest to her. “And should I be concerned that my five-year-old niece wants to name him Maturin?” She wasn’t sure where her niece had picked up a reference from a horror novel, it might have been her, Julian, or Tate really, but it was nothing short of hysterical.

“Oh, come in,” he replied quietly, holding the door open for her. It was like he didn’t even see the container in her hands. He was wearing pajama pants and a t-shirt that slightly smelled and may have contained a stain or two. But he was hardly aware of it. He walked Avery to the kitchen and sat on a stool, not making any advances towards the food. “How’s Terra?” he asked, trying to make smalltalk. Smalltalk, of course, that wasn’t about him or Asmodean Autoshop. 

“Terra’s doing really well. She loves kindergarten.” It as easy to see that he didn’t want to talk about it. That was understandable but Avery wasn’t about to let him go through it alone either. But she could compromise, and her best idea of that was by leading him into it. “How’s Xander?”

@flamingavery​

“Isn’t it a little cold to be swimming?”

“It’s heated!” Terra called out from in the pool. She was a total sweetheart, but Tate’s time in Lethe was her first time meeting the girl. They were roommates. “Oh, well then everything’s peachy keen huh?” she rhetorically asked Avery who was sitting by the water.

She didn’t want to talk about the day she had had. Mack texting her, Peter asking questions… it was too early to tell. But she knew Avery would ask.

She picked up a hula hoop from the toy bin and brought it over to her stepsister, then started to use it. “He’s nice, but I really can’t answer any questions just yet. It’s too soon, Avery. You know?” The hula hoop dropped to her toes and she bent over to pick it up. “He gave me his phone number though. I guess I should text him and tell him I don’t hate him or something. There’s… possibility. But I also can’t trust him, y’know? Not yet. Not after… not after my dad.”

Avery sat a the edge of the water, her legs in as she turned her body to look at her sister. “No, I get that. It is too soon. It’s a lot, time is definitely... It’s important.” She sighed softly and shook her head. “I really never would have thought it was him, you know? If I had of course I would have told you. But... He does seem like a good guy, for what it’s worth. Though the truth is...”

She chewed on her lip and glanced at Terra splashing around in the pool before looking back at Tate. “The truth is that you don’t owe him anything. This is for you. So only text if and when you want to text him, alright?” She loved her sister, she had latched on to her as soon as she had met her. They were around the same age, had hit it off instantly, and had grown together through the years. Avery had been a loud supporter of Tate finding her biological father, in hopes for her finding something she never had found with Avery’s own dad. She had too much experience with blended families to ever worry about it or think it belittled her place as Tate’s family because it didn’t. They didn’t need the same dad to be sisters.

“Javier Morales. He’s a fae, and actually taught me how to be a fae as well, use my powers at the very least.” It was how they fell in love all those years ago, if truth be told, but the young woman probably didn’t need to know that. “Yes, the Walshes I–Yes! I’m Brynn!” She laughed as the woman knew her name. Avery and the Walsh Boys must be friends if she knew her by name. Had they shown her photos of her? Oh dear she hoped not, she was very un-photogenic, always with food in her mouth or screaming something into the air. “Terra, huh? How do you like your face painting?” she asked, giving a mirror to the young girl. Ben’s suggestion earlier in the day had come in handy and Brynn had asked a witch to sit with her at her station, to animate the art if anyone wanted, like a moving picture on their cheek. As Kane would say, ‘a gif.’ Brynn smiled at the two girls, assuming Avery was the older sister if truth be told, but she wouldn’t voice her opinions so openly. “Parades are always a lot of fun. Before Lethe I had never experienced one, but they do one here every couple of years, if you’re staying for long.”

Avery smiled at her as she spoke, intrigued at the history that it seemed like the two fae shared. “I’ve met him here and there, he’s a really nice guy,” she told the older woman with an easy going smile, though she still felt her face brighten even more as she thought about the twins, more specifically Julian. “Yeah, they’re really great. Xander’s a blast and Julian’s just... awesome.” Terra nodded eagerly and put in, “Yeah, I love Julian! I like when we see them, and Xan is funny.” Avery tried not to laugh at the nickname that Xander had somehow stopped cringing at over the weeks, something she was impressed with. The little girl gasped and covered her mouth as she looked at her face. “I love it! This is so beautiful! Thank you, thank you!” She turned to beam up at Avery and asked, “Avy do you see? Do you see?” Avery chuckled and gently mussed her hair and said, “I do, it’s so pretty.” She looked back at Brynn. “Thank you. You just made her whole week.” “My whole year,” Terra corrected her seriously. “Her whole year,” Avery amended with a smile. “Parades are really the best. It’s so cool to meet people and see the whole town brought together like this.”

The fire at the garage had affected the whole town it seemed, one way or another. But some more than others, like Nora, Mira, or the Walsh boys. She was sure that there were others, Clark had been around for a long time and the town wasn’t that small. But mostly she wanted to be there for Nora and Julian, the latter of whom she hadn’t seen much since the night it had happened with everything he had going on. 

So she had gone to Brynn and asked her to help her make Julian’s favorite flavor of ice cream and now here she was on the Walsh’s doorstep. She rang the bell quickly and slowly lifted the container when the door opened with a small smile that she hoped might help somewhat. “I, uh... Thought I might return the favor and check on you,” she said in a softer tone than usual, hoping the concern wasn’t quite as obvious on her face as she feared it was.

“Yes, actually. My… my ex talked our son into being part of the parade. He only agreed because his father is a councilman,” she chuckled, pausing drawing the butterfly on Terra’s face so she wouldn’t mess up. “I’ll close up shop a little early to get a good spot to watch my son march in the parade. My friend Julian is actually in it as well–I have a lot of friends in town, I’ve been here thirty years. He even drew this lovely poster, though his brother is the artist in that family. I’m unsure if Xander helped him or not, but it looks lovely. They have been in town for a few generations so he felt it was important to participate. How is yours going?”

Avery laughed lightly. “Oh, really? Which councilman?” She smiled at the woman, already taking a liking to her but her instincts had always been good. “Wait, Julian? And Xander? The Walsh boys?” She gave a small laugh and bit her lip lightly as she studied her. “oh my god, you’re Brynn. The Brynn. He brought me some of your ice cream a while back. I’m friends with him and his brother. Or. I’m-” She wrinkled her nose as she tried to figure out what she was to the Walsh boy, or what Brynn knew. Brynn was his friend, so it wasn’t Avery’s place to say anything she didn’t know. “We’re having a great parade. Terra seems to love it.” “I do,” Terra said happily. “It’s so fun and everyone is so happy.”

@brynnharper

Avery was sitting at the booth with the little girl holding herself as still as could be in her lap so that the older woman could paint her face. Smiling softly, the fire nymph turned her gaze from Terra to the woman working. “Having a good parade?” she asked cheerfully. This was a good day, it was nice to see the town so cheerful and alive. “I’m Avery by the way, I know you already met little Terra here.”

He almost curled his hand up to hold hers, wanted to dearly, but she pulled hers back before he could process what had happened. He had been so stuck on her words, on wanting to hear about his deceased parents. Who wanted to hear depressing shit like that? Why? He gulped accidentally, feeling like he was suffocating but in the best way possible, like it was from helium or something pleasant that was causing him to choke. “Yeah, she… she’s good with kids. I can introduce you,” Julian spoke quietly, not knowing how his potential mother-figure would feel about the most gorgeous woman in the world. “Oh, I have uh… underrated ones. Oldies, that aren’t even scary. International films. Whatever you like,” he said quietly, eyes darting all over her face, unable to pick one beautiful characteristic to pinpoint, and tempted but not even thinking about the rest of her body, still glistening from the pool even after having been toweled off. 

He tried so desperately not to, but an exhale of relief released from his mouth when she touched him. It felt like the right thing to do, after all he’d wanted it for months, right? Longer, even. He’d pined after her, flirted, chased, and gotten absolutely nowhere. And she had made the first move. But he was so engulfed in the smell and taste of chlorine against her skin that he couldn’t even think to be embarrassed or ashamed or any negative thing. He was kissing Avery fucking Frost. She was kissing him back. It wasn’t awkward or weird or one-sided. He could tell she was reciprocating. “No I… I don’t think so,” he said quietly, and then pressed onwards, returned the kiss, squeezed her waist before lifting her to the countered island in her kitchen. He leaned against the ledge, hands afraid to touch her because of the exposed skin so they sat, sweating, on the counter to her sides, thumbs able to trace circles on her outer thighs. 

Avery looked up at him, a slow smile pulling over her lips as she leaned in, meeting his lips again as she wrapped her arms around his neck carefully. This had been a long time coming and now that it was happening it felt natural. As he lifted her onto the counter, she couldn’t help but to gasp a little out of surprise, a grin finding its way onto her lips as she continued to kiss him.

“You don’t need to, I’m actually good for my word,” he said, tooting his own horn. It was awkward, what he’d done, but he couldn’t take it back so he just took another fucking sip. “Oh I… I… I didn’t know,” he stammered, barely able to get anything out. Thank God he hadn’t choked on his lemonade. Wouldn’t that be something, spitting acidic drink into her face. Great. 

“No she’s great she uh… Well… uh, both my parents died, at different times, and she’s the funeral director, so she always like, brings us food around the anniversary or checks up on us, you know? She’s just… I dunno what we’d do without her is all. I just… there should be more people like her, I guess.” He nodded profusely, then stopped abruptly. “Sweet people, as you said.” And then he blushed. Good God did he blush, so embarrassingly, and he dropped his gaze and he took another sip of his drink, hand so close to shaking. 

“Yeah… The original Grudge. The Shining. The Exorcist, Poltergeist, Paranormal Activity. Blair Witch Project, um… There’s a lot. I could keep going,” he grinned, pushing some hair behind his ear, and then pausing. “Oh I uh… I never said anything but…” he took a sip and gestured to her before placing his glass on the table, not wanting to hiccup from gulping down so much at once. “I like your hair change. Color. I just think… like, you’d look good no matter what. Even if it… shaved…” He made a face. What was he saying? Yikes, Xander would rip him a new one. “I just mean. I know its wet right now but you always, like no matter what… You’re just… yeah. You look nice, I guess.” He cleared his throat. “Anyways uh… That beer… still on the table?” he asked, voice cracking, but he smiled it away with that goddamn toothy grin and dimples galore. 

He was painfully cute, so genuine and sweet. It was so different than the flirty man that had helped her with her tire all that time ago, and she had to wonder if she’d found what he was really like under it all. She hoped so. Avery bit her lip as she watched him speak about Brynn, reaching over to cover his hand lightly with hers. “I’m- I don’t know if we ever really talked about -- But I’m sorry that you had to go through what you did.” She hesitated briefly before pulling her own hand away from his, her palm suddenly feeling painfully empty without the feeling of his skin against it. 

“But, I really am glad then for Brynn. She’s a good woman from the sounds of it, maybe one of the best. I think Terra and I both would be really lucky to meet her.” She watched him blush as he took another drink and her breath actually caught in her throat. When was the last time that she had felt this kind of softness for another person? This specific kind where you want to take care of them and kiss them breathless all in the same moment? It had been a long time, she knew. “Then, yeah. We should- We should have a classics night sometime.” Her eyes went to his face as he spoke, and her own cheeks warmed despite herself. Somehow, the fact that nothing that he was saying would really qualify as smooth, made it feel so much more personal and real and she pressed her lips together as she nodded her head slowly, his words having more of an effect than she’d want to admit but he could see it, couldn’t he? She looked up at him and her breath caught in her throat and-- Fuck it. 

“We can bring Terra too if you want. Or be just the two of us” Nora suggested with a smile as the other nymph finished drying off herself. Avery’s niece was part of her friend’s life now and Nora had done as much as she could to support both of them, to also show the little girl that Lethe could be home after the tragedy she went through and that there were people here willing to care for her, to love her. Terra was a lovely girl and the fire nymph had begun to grow attached to her since her arrival to town.

“Work was a bit stressful but other than that” she made a pause, grinning at her friend and going over to hug her now that she wasn’t dripping “I’ve been really good”. Seeing one of her best friends was definitely a highlight of her day, and adding ice cream to the equation just made it all even better. “And you?” she asked as she pulled away, looking at Avery with intention, hoping the other girl would give her an honest answer and say whether today was one of the better days or one of the bad ones.

Avery smiled at her gratefully. “God, Nora, I love you. Seriously, thank you for the offer. A lot of people don’t want to hang around kids that much. But she’s at school. Do you wanna pick her up and take her with? I’m sure she’d love it.” It was clear that Nora liked Terra, genuinely liked it, and it meant the world to Avery. Everything about her life, especially her social life had changed this year, but it was nice to have constants like Nora in her and her niece’s lives. Besides, Terra adored the other fire nymph in Lethe, and she always asked for her. 

Avery easily wrapped her arms around her friend in a hug. “Good, I’m so glad. Sorry about work. Everything okay?” She let her go before leaving her up to the door of the apartment and unlocking it before leading the way inside so she could get changed. “You know, it’s a good day. I'm pretty excited to pick up Terra but, you know, she’s making friends and really start in to settle in.”

With her hands on her hips, Riley watches Avery push off the edge of the pool, gliding on her back through the water. Her head tilts, pondering the idea of changing into a swim suit. “Yeah okay, I will. Are your keys in your- ah! They are,” Riley holds up Avery’s apartment keys, jingling them in the air with a slight gleam in her eyes. The jingling stops as her other hand reaches out to grasp the keys, bottom lip pouting. “I would love nothing more than to teach little Terra how to sew. Oh my god, for her birthday I could get her her first sewing machine! The look on her face,” Riley coos, smacking her hands against her face. “It’d almost be too cute. I’d adore it. Anyway, I’m gonna go grab a suit. Be back in a flash.” And she was back in a flash. Thanks to her super speedy vampire legs, she makes it back in under a minute, coming back out in a vibrant yellow polka dot bikini. “This is the cutest thing I’ve ever seen, when did you get this? Where did you get this?” Riley asks, jumping into the pool without warning. 

She lands loudly against the water, causing a large splash for such a little thing. People would be surprised, but she’d perfected her cannon ball for years. “Your dull, grey life?” The vampire laughs once she’s pushed blonde curls from her face. “Please. Is the Gage thing not going on anymore? I’m still puking, by the way,” she teases, trying to avoid the splash Avery sends her way seconds later. She laughs, “they’d have another thing coming, that’s for sure. Little did they know I’ve been trained by a mercenary.” Push come to shove, Riley has it in her to defend herself. Whatever means necessary. But with her love life, well that…that’s all an enigma to her. She only manages to slightly duck under water to avoid Avery’s sudden splash, and she comes back up laughing and spitting out water. “It is totally true though, you admitted it!” Riley chirps back, pushing more hair out of her eyes. As her friend speaks, she lets out a gentle sigh, her head resting on the surface behind her. “You’re right. I know you’re right, and for someone who’s gonna live a pretty freaking long time, it’ll be nice to have someone to live that really freaking life with, right?” She turns to Avery, biting down on her lower lip as she says, “and we…may have kissed.” 

“She would love it. You’d really make her day.” It was great to hear Riley so excited at the idea, so loving towards Terra. The little girl needed all of the love and support she could get. Avery looked up, a grin lighting her face as she grabbed her keys. “Yes! You go, Riley!” She kicked herself off of the edge and swam across the pool in a lap while waiting for her friend, perking up when she saw her returning to the edge of the pool in a bikini. “I took your advice on the yellow,” she reported proudly, watching as her friend jumped in, lifting an arm to shield herself from the splash, giggling uncontrollably. “And I got it at Amazon, a couple months ago. I can send you the link if you want!” 

Avery laughed, tipping her head back so that it was in the water, eyes shutting a little at the refreshing feeling of the water lapping at the base of her head. “Yeah, okay, I guess it could be more boring.” She half sighed and half giggled at Riley’s question as she lifted her head. “Okay, uh- I don’t- I don’t think so, actually. I haven't talked to him yet, but... I don’t think so.” She bit lightly on her lip, thinking carefully of Julian in her kitchen just a few days prior and a small smile pulled at her lips despite herself. “But. Julian came over and brought me ice cream made by a family friend.” She watched her friend as she spoke, giving her friend a soft smile and a nod of her head. “Yeah. Companionship is really nice for long lifetimes. can you imagine finding someone with a normal life span? I mean, I know it happens and could happen but... God, that would hurt.” She felt her entire face contort, her jaw falling open even as her lips pulled into a grin. “You kissed him?! You were leaving me hanging! How was it?!”

@flamingavery

The first week of school, Nolyn had come to pick up Eden but she was holding a little girl’s hand. Apparently this girl, Terra, was fairly new just like Eden, and was adjusting to the town as well. They ultimately hit it off. Nolyn, being the extrovert that he was, had got talking to the girl’s guardian, an aunt named Avery who was really rather young, but she had a smart head atop her shoulders. To give the youngster some time to spend with people her own age, Nolyn had offered to watch the girls at his house since there was so much space, multiple adult supervision, lots of animals to play with, and a literal playroom. 

As Avery walked up to the door of the home, Eden jumped up and down, singing some gibberish song of excitement. When the two came over for the first time, Nolyn opened the door and showed the house, showing the rooms and answering any questions Avery had about safety concerns. “Rod is just upstairs in his room practicing some show right now, and I mean… we’re fae, so we can always heal Terra at the worst-case scenario? Would you want that or no?”

Avery smiled at the girls before turning her attention to Eden’s dad - Nolyn. “Yes, please. That would be awesome. Our family are skilled at finding trouble and uh... Yeah, that would be really great, thank you.” She had always thought the Novak-Frost-Kline clan would be better off if they were fae. 

She glanced over at the kids, watching as they went running through the house. “I’m really glad she has a friend,” she admitted. “I worry about her a lot. New town, new school, new friends, an aunt she hasn’t seen much since she was three. Don’t suppose you have advice?”