#apprentice yuli

the prologue to ‘my goat and me’ an au where yuli and lucio have to share a body

(anon u come into my house and leave this angst on my doorstep???? i hope ur happy)

(pre-plague therefore a lost memory)

Yuli could see the shadows closing in. It had started with her Auntie complaining of chest pain, nothing serious, she was healthy as a horse. Yuli had made teas, practiced healing potions, made trinkets of quartz points, amethysts, and amber. But now her aunt laid in the bed of the hospital with each cough wracking her body. Auntie tried to hide the blood-flecked handkerchief from Yuli’s sight but she couldn’t hide the sharpness of her face or the raised collarbones, the wasting of muscles and fat. Though her eyes were still sharp, her body was failing from consumption.

The shadows whispered soothingly. They spoke of peace, of freedom from the pain. Her aunt’s death would be a release and she would go into the next world without remorse. That thought gave Yuli peace as she held her aunt’s hand. Not today, but soon, possibly before the week was done.

“You know, don’t you?” And Yuli looked startled. Her aunt had taught her everything she knew about magic but this was a skill only Yuli had, a skill she had honed through many a late night talking to the moon and shadows. She kept many of her darker findings to herself.

“I do,” Yuli replied. “Death is near but it’s not unkind.” The shadows twisted and Yuli felt a cold brush of air against her shoulder and she could imagine a skeletal hand offering her what little comfort it could. Inevitable, yes, and sorrowful, but Death was not evil. It simply was.

Auntie rested her head against the pillow. “I’ll be sad to leave you but I know you can care for yourself. And you have Asra so you won’t be alone.” She paused and smiled. “I hope your parents will be there. I’ve missed them both so much.”

Yuli smiled too, even as her vision became watery. Not a day went by without her aunt telling her about how much she looked like her father or acted like her mother. Her aunt had loved them both so deeply and she couldn’t imagine how difficult it had to be to raise their child alone. The three of them would soon be together and though Yuli would mourn, she could be at peace with that.

(Post-plague, therefore a known memory.)

Yuli and Asra were enjoying a quiet breakfast together before they opened the shop. Fresh muffins came out of the oven and fresh worms were given to the salamander for his hard work. It was cozy as Yuli sipped on hot chocolate, a thoughtful expression on her face as Asra took his seat. Something was missing. Someone.

“Where’s Faust?” She asked. She hadn’t seen the familiar since yesterday, now that she thought about it. Had Asra sent her on an errand?

“She’s around,” he replied vaguely. “She’s close to shedding, I think.”

Ah, that would explain it. Faust shed a few times a year and was more reclusive during those times. “Well I hope this time she tells me where she left her shed. It’s beautiful and I’d love to add it to my collection.”

Beautiful???

Suddenly a very excited Faust fell from the rafters and Asra just managed to catch her. She had just begun to shed and the dead skin hung onto her head like a hat. She wriggled to Yuli, clearly delighted.

Am beautiful? You beautiful!