#monderi

MONDERI STAR WEDDING EDITION

pt 3 of alignment madness

Title: I can see what's happening, and they don't have a clue

AN: So... found this idea on a tumblr I follow, and decided to make it a reality. They keep my head fuelled with Monderi content and to be quite honest, I wanted this to exist as much as they did. Enjoy @sydns this is all for you! I didn't forget, I just have too many ideas; so it's hard to find time to write them all! Fic title is a song by Westlife. If I don't say which song the lyrics I use for the chapter title come from in the ending note... the lyrics are from 'World of Our Own'.

“Where are you going Annie?” One of the villagers asked her.

“Isn't it obvious? She's going towards that barn again.” Another one said. The first grumbled.

“Must you go to them? Haven't you heard about what happened in Liones? Or Camelot? Or Ordan?” Annie shook her head.

“They're my friends.” She answered simply, as though that would explain everything.

“They're monsters is what they are. They steal babies in the night and feast on their hearts.”

“Have any babies from this village gone missing since I took them in?” Annie asked. She knew smugness went through her when the complainer didn't answer.

“They're waiting for us to drop our guards, that's all.” The complainer went off, the other villager swiftly following him. Annie didn't particularly care what they thought. She knew different. She knew the reason that bear wasn't bothering the village any more, even if no one else believed her. Besides... she'd made plans. To teach her friend how to make shortbread. In heart shapes, because she hoped that would fluster her other friend. She'd saw how he looked at her! And Annie's books said that was true love! She would have skipped, but caught herself. She knew today was going to be fun, but that didn't mean that she needed to be mocked more by the other villagers. She reached the barn and knocked on the door. She got no answer, but this didn't mean there was no one in. She pushed the door open, finding only one of her friends here.

“Hey Derieri. Where's...”

“Said something about picking flowers for the vase you left on the window ledge.” Good. He did listen to my suggestion then. I hope he gives them to Derieri first... Annie grinned, earning a slightly confused look from her friend.

“Are you ready?” Derieri nodded in answer and Annie lifted out the ingredients. She figured that if she was going to teach her friend to bake, she'd best start with something simple. Hence, shortbread. It only had three ingredients and was... relatively easy to make. And if her friend got it wrong... it wouldn't be hard to correct it. Annie handed Derieri an apron from her basket of things, grinning when she saw the hearts on it. It was cute, and it would look cute on her. At least... she hoped he would say so. This wasn't for her; it was for him. Hence the shape of the cutter.

“So... what do I do first?” Derieri asked her, eyeing the butter, sugar and flour with a confused expression on her face. Annie pointed to the butter and the sugar.

“They need creaming together.” She got another confused look and she realised that made no sense to a demon who had clearly never done anything like this before.

“You put the butter in the bowl, followed by the sugar and mix them up until the butter looks a lighter colour.” Annie told her. Derieri did so, becoming a little annoyed at how much stirring it was taking to get the butter to change colour.

“There! Now we need this.” A bag of flour was carefully put on the surface, followed by a sieve. Derieri looked to be confused by the bag.

“Do you need me to get this open?” She asked, fingers of her darkness arm sharpening into claws.

“No! I can do it.” Annie opened the bag, sure that Derieri would get flour everywhere had she done it. She had a feeling her friend was going to get flour on herself, however.

“You need to sieve this into the bowl with the creamed butter in it, then stir it together.” Annie closed her eyes, sure her friend would take the instruction too far and hence would get covered in flour. She took a nervous peek and saw that Derieri was carefully tipping flour into the sieve. She appeared confused by the sieve being full of flour, but not much of it going into the bowl.

“Is that right?” She asked.

“You need to carefully pick the sieve up and gently shake the flour through it.” Annie was going to watch this. This would be when her friend would get covered in flour. Derieri followed her instructions, but some of the flour still managed to end up on her due to the amount in the sieve. Annie grinned, her grin widening when some of that flour found its way on to Derieri's cheek from the back of her hand. Flour now sieved, Derieri started mixing it into the creamed butter. Thankfully, the dough it formed stayed in the bottom of the bowl, not too sticky, not too dry.

“Now this needs to go on the surface to be rolled out.” Annie patted the work surface and Derieri scooped out the dough. Annie normally winced a little doing that, because the dough was always sticky when she did it. Derieri had no such problems, placing the dough on the surface and looking at Annie expectantly. Annie retrieved the rolling pin from her bag of things.

“My mother informs me this is good for threatening cheeky husbands with. Make sure you use it on him if he's teasing too much, alright?” Annie grinned at the soft blush this drew to her friend's cheeks.

“He's not my...” Not yet. Thought Annie. She'd saw how he looked at her! She... didn't know if demons did marriage but... she could tell he loved her. Hence the trying to get him to say something! Derieri claimed the rolling pin, using it to flatten the dough out. Annie retrieved the cutter from her bag, placing it beside the rolled out dough.

“That's probably flat enough. Now you use this to cut out the biscuit shapes. You push it into the dough and lift out the shape.” Annie grinned when she saw the blush darken.

“Why are they heart shaped?”

“Why not?” She asked. She knew it would fluster him, that was the real answer.

“Right. So I cut these out like this...” After a short while, there were about a dozen heart shaped bits of dough resting on the tray.

“What do I do with this?” She pointed at the leftover bits of dough.

“Roll it back together, then flatten it out again. You do that until you can't make a bit of dough that you can push the cutter into. Then you shape what's left into the last biscuit.” After a short while, there were about 25 biscuits sitting on the tray, a small bit of dough left.

“Make that into a little heart too.” Derieri's cheeks flushed a little, but she carefully moulded the dough into a little heart shape. It got placed beside the others on the tray, Annie grinning at them.

“Looks good. Now we just need to put them in the oven for a little while.” Annie spotted that the oven was lit. Derieri carefully scooped the tray up, carrying it over to the oven. The tray was pushed inside, before the door was closed. Annie knew how long they took to cook, so found a chair to settle in with her book. It was about an angel and a demon; who totally fancied each other, but neither of them said so. It reminded her a little of the two friends she'd made.

“Are they done yet?” Derieri asked after about five minutes. Annie could see the other girl was fidgeting, possibly not used to sitting still for so long.

“Not yet. Give it about... ten more minutes.” Annie heard a noise of assent, so went back to her book.

“Are... are they still bothering you?” Derieri asked her after a couple of minutes.

“Not really. They don't trust you though.”

“You don't have to keep coming here, you know.” Annie felt a little annoyed.

“Why shouldn't I come to see my friends? That they don't agree with that is their problem, not mine.” Annie caught the hint of a grin on Derieri's face.

“Just saying, they might accept you more if you cut ties with us.” Annie shook her head.

“Perhaps. Perhaps they should try to accept two people who've done nothing to warrant the whispered words and evil glares they keep getting.” Annie almost shouted.

“Humans aren't very trusting of demons. Besides... both of us have done things to warrant what they are doing. Things we haven't told you about.” Annie didn't appear to care.

“Not since you've come here you haven't.” She said; Derieri not having a dispute for that. Annie stood up, heading over to the oven. A quick glance inside confirmed the biscuits were cooked. She went to her bag, grabbing the oven glove. She lifted the tray out of the oven once she'd put it on, placing the tray on the surface they had used to make the biscuits on. Derieri immediately scooped one off the tray, almost immediately dropping it afterwards.

“They're hot. Leave them to cool for a little while first.” Annie told her, before sitting reading her book. Derieri kept looking over at the biscuits.

“What's that about?” She asked, Annie glancing at her over the top of her book. Her friend was still eyeing the biscuits like she wanted one now.

“An angel and a demon working together to save the world from ending.”

“Where do people get these ideas from?” Derieri pondered.

“Legends of what happened during the Holy War, perhaps?” Annie suggested. Derieri shook her head, again eyeing the biscuits.

“Shall we get them off the tray? They might cool quicker then.” Annie had to grin at how quickly Derieri jumped up to do just that. She used her claw to lift the biscuits up, placing them on the surface beside the tray. The tray was quickly moved to a large metal bowl in the kitchen that Annie guessed the dishes went in until one of them could be bothered to do them. Sure enough, the mixing bowl and spoon went over there too. Annie tucked the sieve and rolling pin back in her bag, along with the leftover flour. Derieri was eyeing the biscuits again and Annie grinned.

“If you can pick one up with your flesh hand without burning yourself, you can eat it.” She told her friend. It didn't surprise her that Derieri immediately grabbed one. Said biscuit had been munched before Annie could ask about it.

“'S good.” She remarked, reaching for another one.

“Derieri! Make sure you save some for Monspeet.”

“There's plenty there.” She had another biscuit in her hand and Annie shook her head. That biscuit got gobbled up as well.

“If you eat too many of them you'll get a tummy ache.” She said quietly. It didn't escape her notice that Derieri didn't eat any more after that though, so she must have been heard. The other girl made her way over to the chair beside her, before sitting down.

“What's happening?” She asked, indicating the book in Annie's hands.

“The four horsemen of apocalypse have just gathered and are heading to the same place as the angel and demon.” Annie answered, Derieri shaking her head at it.

“Madness.” She muttered, lowering her head into her hands.

“We don't have to hang around here, you know. We could go look for Monspeet.”

“He'll be back shortly. Even if he has gotten lost, he'll find his way back here.” To you. Annie added in her head. She'd spent a fair bit of time with these two since they'd arrived in the village... and what she'd observed made them seem like a married couple. She could tell Monspeet doted on Derieri... probably loved her if demons were capable of love. Of course, Derieri was oblivious; but Annie could tell she cared for Monspeet too. As if thinking of him summoned him, there was a knock on the door.

“Are you in here Derieri?” He asked calmly. Annie grinned, knowing what was probably coming.

“Yep. Got a visitor.” She called back. The door was pushed open and he came in. Annie's grin widened when she spotted the arm behind his back. Flowers for his girl... She thought.

“What you got there?” Derieri asked, trying to peer around him. He looked a little flustered, to Annie's delight. God, he has it bad, doesn't he?

“For you.” He held out what he was hiding, a small bouquet of flowers picked from the fields near the village. Annie had spotted most of the kinds on her own walks... but one flower in the middle stood out. A burgundy coloured rose. If Annie remembered her flower meanings correctly... that particular shade meant 'devotion'. Though... she knew there were no roses growing anywhere near the village. Which made her ponder where he'd gotten it from. She did also note the carnations and tulips were red too... though she'd never spotted red ones on her walks.

“Thanks.” …Was she blushing? Annie wasn't sure. She was sure she caught the hint of a smile on his face when Derieri accepted the flowers.

“Don't recall seeing red ones on our walks... And I know there's none of these around here.” Derieri commented, indicating the rose in the middle. Annie grinned, sure she caught a hint of a blush on his cheeks this time.

“Red makes me think of you. Burning bright. And I recalled that flower from the capital and... I morphed a different one into it.” Liar! Red tulips and carnations mean true love just like roses do! And burgundy roses mean devotion... like I know you have for her! Annie added in her head. Why couldn't he just say it in plain Britannian? Was it really so hard to say 'I love you'?

“They're nice.” She said, before putting them in the vase on the window ledge. Annie pondered whether Derieri was clueless or she honestly didn't know what he was doing meant. Men always got flowers for women they liked. She knew her father tended to pick flowers for her mother when he was in trouble (and sometimes this got him out of trouble, but other times it didn't).

“Made something for you too.” Derieri scampered over to the surface with the biscuits on.

“I see you managed to get some on you too...” He'd made his way over beside her and brushed the flour off her cheek with his thumb. It looked so adorably tender that Annie had to bite her lip so she didn't squeal. And Derieri was definitely blushing this time.

“I'll go wash up later then.” She told him, before picking up the biscuit which was made from the leftover dough, the one that was slightly odd shaped. Her father always helped himself to that biscuit when her mother made biscuits. When Annie had asked him why he always took that one, he answered that that biscuit was shaped by her mother's hands and hence was made with the most love. And Derieri was offering that one to Monspeet. How can you two be doing adorable things like this and not be a couple?! Annie thought, trying very hard not to make a sound at how adorable this was.

“For you.” She mirrored his words, holding out the oddly shaped biscuit. He looked a little hesitant.

“She made them for you, go on.” He jumped, apparently not having realised Annie was sitting there.

“Apologies for not seeing you there, Annie.”

“It's fine! But you need to try those biscuits.” You were too caught up in your lady to notice me, after all! She added in her head.

“Yeah, they're nice.” Derieri held out the oddly shaped biscuit again; the one vaguely heart shaped, but not cut by the cutter. The one she'd shaped into a heart to match the others. He didn't hesitate this time, taking the offered biscuit and munching on it.

“Annie showed me how to make them.” Derieri told him while he was munching.

“These are nice, thank you.” He told her once the biscuit had disappeared.

“It's fine, Derieri wanted me to show her how to bake and... shortbread is the easiest recipe I could think of to start with.” She told him, seeing another soft smile on his face. Annie knew it was probably the right time to head home. Kissing was more likely to happen without an audience and she'd finished showing Derieri what to do.

“Anyway, now I've done that, I'd best be heading off before my father comes looking for me again!” She told them, heading for the door.

“Thanks for showing me that. Maybe we could try making one of those pie things next time?” Annie grinned softly.

“Sure, might be easier if you had a helper though.” Annie unsubtly looked at Monspeet.

“If Derieri would like my help, I'm happy to give it. Safe journey home, Annie.” She grinned again; knowing exactly how to set them up.

“See you both next time.” She said as she went out of the door. She was busy plotting a few things to try and help them get together. Or maybe to finally give him the kick up the butt he needed to say 'I love you' to the woman he obviously loved.

Thought up an AU recently where Derieri is a sports model and Monspeet is her professional photographer (he loves his job) 🤩📸💪

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