Chapter Text
Morning rays stream in through the windows, casting a warm golden glow over the house. Just days earlier, the Hollows and Co finally collected enough narratonin to grant both of their wishes right as summer vacation started coming to a close.
“Woah woah woah, slow down, Chase," says the tall, lanky brunette as he shoulders open his bedroom door, steaming coffee in one hand and phone in the other. He quickly pads down the hall so that Aunt Myra won’t overhear anything she shouldn’t. “Start over, I didn’t catch any of that.”
He’d just returned home to pack his belongings and prepare for the fall semester when, despite having literally seen him a few hours ago, Chase insisted on FaceTiming immediately. Called it an “emergency family meeting”, something about the keys. Sure enough, Deacon watches as just short of a dozen faces pop up on the screen and crowd around his cousin.
“Right, so.” Chase holds a sheet of paper up to the camera, displaying what looks to be some elaborate concept map. Deacon thinks he can make out the keys’ names hastily scrawled out in his cousin’s sloppy penmanship. “Here’s what we have so far: Nox will be staying with me, obviously…” Chase smiles down at the raven-haired boy currently clinging to him like a lifeline, as Buddy's been doing ever since becoming human again. (Deacon nearly hangs up right then and there, having had quite enough of their nauseating honeymoon phase, before Chase thankfully refocuses.) “Patina and Ivory will be staying with Mrs. G… Of course, she did offer to house as many of them as we need, but I don’t wanna burden her with any more people, especially 'cause they can’t pay her like her other guests, you know? …Who else? Oh, Diane will be taking in Ruby and Violet.” He cups a hand over his mouth, despite speaking at the same exact volume: “She’s like, the only human Vi’s ever warmed up to.”
“I heard that, boy,” drawls a voice from behind him, which Chase blissfully ignores.
“Anddd I still have to check in with Simon and the others, so… that’s all we have for now. Thoughts?”
“Okay…” Deacon's brows knit together with a pensive sigh.
It’s been less than a week since he and Chase became the caretakers of 12 unexplained homeless people without a penny to their name. Luckily, they've had some help from Grandpa Ralph, Mrs. G, Diane, Simon, Dani, and Ross (all of whom had obtained their own keys over this past month). As for the others, they still have yet to fill in Deacon’s parents (for obvious reasons) and Aunt Myra, as she’s been under enough stress already what with being sick for so long. While she’s somewhat aware of the whole magical-book-narratonin situation and has briefly met a few of the keys, they'd prefer not to burden her with knowing the keyblings are human now, and all the responsibilities that come with that. Now that the narratonin has cured her, Myra is set to return to the farmhouse soon, so Chase figured it best to move as many keyple out of the house as possible before then.
“Well, what about—?” The words die in Deacon’s throat when he hears a strangled scream on the other end. He watches as Chase’s head whips around and even Buddy loosens his grip on his boyfriend, looking alarmed.
“Silver?!” Chase shouts.
“What? What happened to Silver?” Deacon’s cousin ignores him, running out of the frame, before the rest of the keys follow suit, all rushing to the Heroine’s defense.
“What’s going on?” he cries helplessly.
Finally, Buddy’s face fills the screen, looking paler than he did back in his storybook form. “Uhh, we’ll talk to you later, bye,” he says curtly before promptly ending the call, leaving Deacon in total oblivion to assume the worst. Dude didn’t even call him Freckles; it must be serious.
Meanwhile, at the other end of the hall, Chase is coaxing, “It's okay, Silver; just tell me what’s going on,” and facing the young woman currently crumpled over his bathroom floor.
“Out of the way!” Violet shoves him aside and skids across the floor to check her sister for damage, Bronze just managing to catch Chase before he can topple over.
“I-It’s terrible, I must be dying!” poor Silver sniffles as her family crowds the tiny doorway in worry. “Oh, how unfair; I only just became human days ago and already my time has come!”
“What is it, Silver?! Show me!” Bronze takes note of Chase raising his voice in a way he’s never addressed her before, or any of them, the stress of having 12 people to look over these days clearly getting to him.
Finally, their sister reaches a shaky hand to lift her dress, revealing a small puddle that’s pooled beneath her, red liquid staining her undergarments and trickling down her thighs. While her siblings all gasp in horror — toothpick falling out of Bronze’s mouth, Goldie screaming “Egad!”, and Rose literally fainting into Bronze’s arms — Chase merely heaves a sigh of relief: “Oh, thank god.”
Violet shoots a look of utter repulsion at the human, before he kneels beside them to elaborate: “Silver, you’re not dying, okay? It’s your period.” He pauses awkwardly at her (and mostly everyone’s) blank expressions. “…Do you know what that is?”
“Period?” Silver echoes faintly, still panting and leaning heavily on her sister.
“What sort of ailment is that?” gasps Goldie.
“Uhh, so basically, every month or so, when humans and some animals born female aren’t having a baby, an egg, like, cracks, inside of them. Or…” Chase facepalms. “I don’t know how to explain it — Deacon’s the doctor, not me.”
“Ah, you refer to her menses! This I have heard of in books before!” the wizard pipes up, to which some of the others begin to nod their heads in understanding. “Your blood has come, sister. It means you're a woman now!”
“Yeah. It’s totally normal, Sil, but uh…” Chase gingerly takes her by the hand, both he and Violet helping her to her feet. “You’re gonna need to wear something for that. How about we go see Mrs. G? She’s the closest, and she'll be able to help you out with this, okay?”
“A-alright,” Silver manages weakly.
“I’ll be joining you,” Violet insists, tightening her protective grip on her sister. Chase nods, and together the trio rush over to the neighbor’s house. While they’re gone, Goldie and Ruby clean up the bathroom floor and the others tend to Ro, who is slowly coming to.
With everyone else occupied, Bronze grabs Chase’s phone off the floor to dial his former keyholder, who he knows must be worried sick right now. Sure enough, he finds the lockscreen selfie of Chase kissing Nox on the cheek almost fully eclipsed by missed call notifications.
“Chase? Oh thank god. What happened, is Silver okay?!” Deacon takes pause as he recognizes the tanned, impassive face filling up his screen as most certainly not his cousin’s. “Oh. Bronze.”
“Hey.” When he speaks, the man’s tone is a little softer than his expression. “Don’t worry, she’ll be fine. She’s just, ah… menstruating, as you call it. We didn’t anticipate something like this happening and were caught off guard, that's all.”
“Ohh…” Periods, of course. Deacon mentally facepalms. Why didn’t he think of that sooner? All they’d told the keys upon their transformations was the basics — you need to eat, sleep and breathe in order to survive now.
“Shit, yeah, we probably should have briefed you guys on human anatomy and stuff right away. That’s my bad. Dammit, wish I hadn’t already left.” Deacon starts pacing up and down the hall. “Uhh… okay, how about we all video chat when everyone’s ready, and I can answer any questions anyone has over the phone! Yeah! That should work. I still have one more day before I leave, after all…”
Despite agreeing that an info session would most certainly be ideal, Bronze finds himself turning down the offer. For some reason. “It’s okay, you’re busy. Just focus on returning to school. We have the rest covered.”
“No, no.” Deacon rubs his face. “Chase needs me. I can’t let him take on all of this himself. He’s just a teenager; he shouldn’t be taking care of twelve other people right now.”
Bronze feels an unwanted pang of guilt twinge in his chest, having burdened his holder with his and his siblings’ decision. He hates himself for feeling it. Because he knows they deserve to be human if they so choose, just like anyone else. It’s not their fault if that had to come with complications. It’s not their fault their sole purpose for existence was to serve humankind as inanimate tools. As objects.
But the Hollows have never seen them that way. Not for a second.
“We already have people helping us,” he insists. “Like your grandfather and Prunella’s mother.”
“Still.”
Bronze stares at the boy on the screen — at his unkempt hair he’d likely been tugging out of distress earlier; at the dark circles under his eyes that seem to worsen with each passing day. At the human who’d been kind to him and his siblings; who’d gifted him whatever foods and possessions Bronze so desired; who’d spent a tedious half hour walking back and forth, letting Bronze comb through the same exact snack aisles until satisfied. All unconditionally.
The boy who’d heeded his lessons in the significance of a Helper role. Maybe a little too well. Now Deacon feels responsible for both his own family and the keys', like it’s his duty to help all of them when he already has his own work and future to think about.
Bronze knows there are bigger, more pressing matters right now, yet he can’t seem to get the freckled boy and all that falls on his shoulders off his mind.
He’s still thinking about it at dinner that night, which is about as hectic an event as you’d imagine, buzzing with the sounds of clinking cutlery and loud, mirthful chatter. Every single chair the Hollows own has been dragged out to the dining table, and Chase and Nox even share a seat, yet a few of the keys are still stuck sitting on the floor. (Minus Stripes, who is perched on the kitchen counter, feet swinging back and forth contently.)
“So me and Grandpa Ralph are gonna go drop off Deacon tomorrow,” Chase tells his boyfriend between bites. Bronze holds his spoon to his mouth a little too long, distracted by the mention of his former holder. They’re going to see him tomorrow?
“…So keep planning while I’m gone,” Chase continues. “Oh, speaking of. Bronze, got any idea where you wanna live yet? You’re the only one I haven’t heard from.”
“Huh?” mumbles Bronze, snapping out of his thoughts and ignoring the amused look Nox shoots him.
“Were you falling asleep again?" Chase laughs with a teasing quirk of his brow. "I said, where do you wanna live?”
“You know,” Copper chimes in from beside Bronze, giving his counterpart archetype a nudge, “you can always join me as a vagabond, brother. You and me, partners in crime, just like old times! Eh? What do you say?”
“Oh Copper, don’t be ridiculous,” sighs Silver from across the table, who seems to have recovered a bit after the situation earlier. “You need food and a roof over your head.”
“Not from stealing,” adds Ivory when he opens his mouth to respond, which he then promptly closes.
While his family begins bickering over the ethics of larceny, Bronze tunes out their words. He ponders Chase’s question and only one thing comes to mind. One person he’d like to be checking on right now.
Well, looks like he’s got plans for tomorrow.
༄˖°.🍎.ೃ࿔📚*:·
“Okay, remember guys: if you have to go outside, walk in pairs and always look both ways before crossing the street. And only Ivory is allowed to operate the oven and stove, got it? We don’t want a repeat from last time.”
It’s shortly past daybreak, most of the keys still asleep, but the few who are awake and gathered in the kitchen in a semi-circle around Chase all nod. (Save for Nox, who has his arms folded and looks in desperate need of some caffeine.) Chase clutches his phone in his armpit and his keys in his teeth while struggling to zip up his hoodie, already difficult enough to do without Stripes clinging to his legs like they’re climbing a tree. “Stripes honey, I gotta go now.”
“I’ve got ’em.” Nox untangles his sibling from Chase and scoops the wriggling figure into his arms. “You have everything?”
Chase bounces a little on his feet, jittery, dark eyes unfocused and distracted. “Yupp, think so. Do you have the…?” He trails off when something wraps itself around his waist, and his face softens briefly when he glances over to see the little green-haired girl hugging his midsection.
“Bye, Chasey,” she whispers so softly it’s hard to catch. It’s the first time Patina’s been this bold around the humans; usually she peeks around one of her siblings’ backs and just watches with those wide, curious yellow topazes.
“Bye, Teeny,” Chase returns warmly, giving her a little head pat before quickly turning back to his boyfriend, who looks extremely pleased by the interaction. “What was I saying…Oh, Buds, you got the phone I left you?”
Nox hums in affirmation, shifting his hold on Stripes to one hand to brandish a smartphone with the other, when—
YANK!
The phone vanishes in a blur of orange fabric, leaving a cackle of glee in its wake.
“COPPERRRR!” Chase growls.
“It’s okay, I’ll get it back,” assures Nox.
“Fine, fine. Uhh…don’t open the door for strangers and make sure no one burns down the house and do a head count every hour and call me if anything happens, and I’m also going to be doing hourly check-in—”
“Chase,” his boyfriend interrupts him with a peck on the cheek, “we’ll be fine. Relax.”
“I am very relaxed!” huffs the blond with a pout. Nox gives an unconvinced hum, gazing down at him fondly. “What are you smiling at? I’m being serious here.”
“Your beautiful face.”
“Omigod you’re so cringe, I hate you.”
“Mhhh…then why are you blushing?~”
“Kid, you ready?” comes Grandpa Ralph’s gruff voice through the open front door.
“Uh, yeah! Yep! Coming!” calls Chase, jumping and yanking forcefully away from his partner, before glancing back to wave one last goodbye to the keys. “Bye, everyo—Uh, Bronze?”
He freezes at the sight of the man beside him, who sports shades, a tan poncho, and a drawstring backpack, and cradles a familiar oven mitt in his arms like a baby.
“Well? What are we waiting for? If you guys are done flirting, then let’s go,” the guy says dryly. Seriously, these two are impossible. However will the poor souls survive being apart for several hours?
Chase stares at him blankly, looking ready to protest, yet five minutes later, the dude is sitting squished against the passenger door as content as Bronze-ly possible.
“So you woke up this early and brought all that stuff and you’re going all the way there just to 'say bye' to him?” Chase clarifies from his spot beside Bronze, the trio all squeezed into the front of Ralph’s pickup truck like sardines in a can.
“Yes.”
“But you already said bye when he left yesterday.”
“And I’d like to say it again.”
“But… we’ll be there for, like, a few hours max, drop him off, and then we’re going straight back home.” Chase gestures at the belongings strewn across Bronze's lap. “So you really didn't need all of this.”
“I like to be prepared.”
Chase peers at him skeptically, and it's then Bronze remembers with a wince that if there's anyone who can rival him in reading people, it's Chase. “If I didn’t know any better," he says, "I’d think you were planning on staying in his dorm.”
Bronze takes pause, making sure not to show any reaction as he asks innocently, “You can do that?”
“Yeah, of course.” Chase shrugs. “Probably depends on the school, but Deacon’s allows it, at least. I used to visit his dorm sometimes just to… get a feel for what college is like.” Bronze watches his expression falter slightly as he adds, “You know, since I could never afford it in a million years,” with a forced little laugh. “But yeah. I stayed over a couple times. Even slept over. And he’ll never admit it, but he totally appreciated me keeping him company. He was a freshman back then, so it was his first time away from home. Think he was secretly a little lonely.” Chase’s familiar smug little grin returns at that. “If it wasn’t for having to watch the keys and all, I’d probably stay with him before he starts classes on Thursday, but I’ve obviously got my hands full.”
Bronze nods slowly, turning his head to stare out the window and feign indifference. “…I see.”
༄˖°.🍎.ೃ࿔📚*:·
Bang-bang-bang.
“FBI, open up!”
Bronze lifts a brow, watching the silly blond beside him rapping a continuous rhythm on the door. “Dooorkin! Open u—”
“We have keys, Chase,” Grandpa Ralph sighs exasperatedly, coming up behind them to unlock the door.
“…Oh. That works too.”
They enter the hall, Bronze shutting the door behind them and taking the rear.
“Doooorkin! We’re heereee!” Chase loudly calls out as he removes his shoes to place by the door, the others following suit.
The sound of footfalls nears before a tall, disheveled figure in a formfitting T-shirt and shorts appears, finger to his cousin’s lips as he hisses: “Shh-Chase! Your mom is sleeping!”
“Oh shit, sorry.” Chase instantly quiets, expression morphing into one of guilt. Despite his mother’s cancer being in remission now, it’s still a very new development that Chase can’t have gotten used to yet. He clearly still worries a lot for her out of instinct. “Where is she?”
“Living room.”
Chase nods and tiptoes past him into the next room. Before following, Grandpa Ralph holds up a paper bag. “Brought dessert. I’ll put it in the kitchen.”
“Thanks, Grandpa,” says Deacon wearily, before his eyes land on the unexpected third figure before him and he jumps like a startled cat, voice traveling up an octave. “B-Bronze?!”
“In the flesh,” the guy drawls, removing his toothpick from his mouth and quirking a brow at the reaction. “Don’t look so thrilled to see me.”
“What are you doing here?” Deacon moves to make a sheepish, futile attempt of covering his shorts. “Could give a guy a heads-up, you know.”
Bronze's gaze rakes over the boy's frame, landing on the skull-and-crossbones symbol peeking out, and the corners of his lips tug slightly upwards. “I did live with you for two months, Deacon. I’ve seen your pirate pajamas.”
“Yeah, well, pretend you didn’t,” the other grumbles, looking away.
Bronze feels himself breaking into a smile — almost — an almost smile for a quick millisecond, before instantly schooling his expression into something more neutral. He almost slipped up there, geez. Why is he this happy to see the guy again? It’s only been a day; get a grip.
He clears his throat, deciding on his default mode with Deacon… scolding him, of course. “Shouldn’t you be dressed already? I believe you have somewhere to be soon.”
“I was busy packing, give me a break,” groans Deacon. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to get back to that. Since you guys distracted me.” He turns on his heel, grumbling some more gibberish to himself as he stomps back up the stairs. Bronze vaguely hears Chase’s offer of brunch from the kitchen and calls out some excuse before trailing after the freckled boy.
He finds the guy in his bedroom, suitcase laid open on the mattress before him. The door is open ajar, which Bronze tugs further open with a foot. If Deacon hears it creak, he doesn’t react, back to him as he focuses on the task at hand. Bronze crosses the room slowly, taking in the space previously occupied by Myra — though it appears they’ve moved her belongings out since then, replaced by her nephew's upon his return. It’s cozy and lived-in like Bronze remembers, all generic whites and pale blues likely chosen by someone else, but with little rebellious sprinkles of character here and there in the forms of model ships, horse figurines, and rows upon rows of fantasy novels. He smiles to himself. This is home, alright.
With that, Bronze approaches and plops down on the bed, directly on the clothing pile the other is currently working on.
“Wh-Hey!” Deacon retracts his hand, glowering down at him.
“I’m coming with you,” Bronze announces, ever the blunt one, tucking his hands laxly behind his head.
“With me?” echoes Deacon, expression quickly morphing from vexed to perplexed. “To…to school?!” Bronze responds with a lazy, affirmative nod. Yup, Deacon heard that right. Not ‘I want to go with you’ or ‘may I go with you?’, but a demand.
He quickly averts his gaze. “I can’t have someone in my dorm. It’s not allowed.”
“But Chase said he used to visit you.”
Deacon takes pause, eyes wide and telling as they meet his; the other gives him a knowing look.
“Fine, it’s allowed, it’s just…distracting,” he instead settles with.
Why is he so adamant about not letting me over? Bronze thinks with a pensive frown. “But your classes don’t start ’til Thursday. So what would I be distracting you from?”
The guy looks away, not willing to admit it’s a fair point. “Oh right, I forgot, you know everything about me,” he mutters, tone only half serious.
“Not everything.” Deacon’s eyes flick up to meet his own at that, and Bronze bites his tongue from blurting the rest. But I’d like to.
Deacon pauses, looking like he’s actually considering it yet still grasping at straws. “Well… are you sure you’re ready for that? Society and humans and all? Might be a little overwhelming. You should take some time to adjust.”
“Then give me an opportunity to,” Bronze challenges with a quirk of his brow.
The other doesn’t respond, instead sighing and holding out his palm for the last item he has to pack, a sweater Bronze is blocking from him. “Give.”
But the tall man doesn’t budge. Eventually Deacon gives up and reaches around the guy to snatch it, but Bronze leans back so that his ass is firmly planted on it and stares up at him expectantly. Deacon groans. Of course. He’s doing this on purpose.
“Oh my god, fine.” The boy rubs his forehead in frustration, a habit he’s been doing an awful lot lately, and Bronze almost feels bad—almost. “Just stick close to me, cover your eyes at all times, and if anyone asks, say your name is Br…endan or something.”
“Such a basic name. So uninspired. Doesn't suit me at all," sighs Bronze in feigned misery, before giving a satisfied smirk. "But I’ll let it go, just this once.” Deacon rolls his eyes, knowing that’s this guy’s version of a thank you.
He gets smoothly to his feet until he’s standing directly behind the shorter one and reaches around him to plop the nerdy sweater vest into the pile. “You know,” he says, voice low in Deacon's ear, because he can’t help it, “you could really use a wardrobe upgrade. Maybe something a little less…mama’s boy?”
“Leave me alone, asshole,” the other groans, flushing a bit as he shuts the suitcase and ignoring the low chuckle of Bronze taking his exit.
“Wait, and don’t let Aunt Myra see you!” Deacon calls after him, an afterthought.
༄˖°.🍎.ೃ࿔📚*:·
“Hey, Sil?” Danielle squints down at her phone that’s open to her messages. “Chase says ‘tell Silver that Bronze is kinda sorta going to stay with Deacon in his dorm for a bit and I’m sorry she couldn’t say bye because it was an unexpected last-minute decision but he’ll be back home in a couple days, don’t worry.’”
“Oh,” says Silver, reading along over her shoulder through heart-shaped, pink-tinted shades that camouflage her eyes. She hadn’t been awake earlier to catch them before they left. “Well, that’s nice of Bronze to keep him company. Though I would have liked to visit Deacon’s school as well! Sounds like it could make for a fun excursion. But alas.”
Danielle hums thoughtfully. “Well, you’re welcome to visit my school sometime? I know it’s just boring in-state community college, so you probably won’t enjoy it as much as—”
“No, on the contrary! That sounds lovely.”
“Cool. Then I’ll be sure to bring you by sometime.” The brunette pockets her phone and smiles expectantly, remembering what the pair is doing out today: their planned shopping outing. “So. What do you wanna get first?”
“Ah, perhaps some ‘padding’ that Mrs. G mentioned?” Silver says a little shyly. “For…catching my blood?”
“You mean pads?” Danielle says patiently, suppressing a giggle. Silver nods weakly and Danielle links an arm through hers. “Then to the store we go!
“So how’ve you been? And what happened with Mrs. G?” she asks on their walk through town.
“…Chase didn’t tell you?” Silver says hesitantly. He had been the one to suggest Danielle take her shopping, after all. He still doesn’t trust the keys going out alone.
“Well, he was kinda vague about it, and besides, I wanna hear it from you.”
Silver sighs and reluctantly recounts the events from yesterday. How she had freaked out in front of everyone and frightened Chase and her entire family for nothing. Then how Mrs. G had been extremely patient and kind as she educated the girls all about the reproductive system and what they’d be forced to endure every month. (Violet appeared to regret her decision to become human more and more by the second.) Mrs. G also gave Silver what few pads she had lying around as well as some cash to buy herself more products.
“Aw, that’s nothing to be ashamed of,” Danielle reassures her. “We all have our own period horror stories — of course, most of us from when we were kids — but even though you look all grown up, this is all new to you. Cut yourself some slack, sugar. And if you ever need help with period stuff, you can always come to me.” She gives her arm a comforting squeeze and adds, “Or Simon, he gets his period too.”
“Will do! Thank you, Dani.” Silver gives her an appreciative smile. “You’re very kind.”
Danielle takes the other girl shopping for menstrual products, a heating pad and pain meds, as well as some fabrics and sewing materials for a project she’s been planning. Arms full of bags, they eventually pass by a bakery, where Silver is practically glued to the window separating her from a beautiful slice of cheesecake.
“You really want that, huh?” Danielle says in amusement, watching the girl smush her face as far into the glass as it’ll go.
“Ohh yes, but I’ve used up all the money Mrs. G gave me,” Silver laments, lip trembling yearningly.
Danielle snorts a laugh and pats her head. “It’s on me, sugar. Come.” She holds open the door for her companion, whose eyes light up.
“Really, Dani? Oh, thankyouthankyouthankyou!” Dani grunts, falling back against the door as the other grabs her in a tight hug. “For some reason, I’ve been having these very strong cravings for dessert these past few days.”
“Yup, thaaat’ll be the period.”
The pair walk up to the register, Silver physically vibrating with excitement and Dani suppressing a laugh as she speaks with the cashier. A minute later, they sit side by side on high chairs facing the window and sharing a slice.
“Mmmh, dish ish sho gooddd,” Silver whines as she devours her half, Dani just resting her chin in her hand and watching the other in amusement. Noon sunlight streams in through the glass, illumining the contours of the woman's face and accenting snow-white highlights in her platinum hair — reminiscent of her otherworldly key form Dani recalls from the brief time she's known her, back when her metallic frame was adorned with shimmering sparkles. But even now, as a human, it makes no difference.
She's beautiful.
Pink eyes — as though hearing her very thoughts — rise to meet Dani's dark at that moment. Silver hovers her fork tentatively over the now half-eaten slice her companion has only had a bite of.
Dani smiles knowingly and shakes her head, nudging the plate closer to her. “You have the rest.”
“No, no, I couldn’t…” Silver pouts.
“Please? It’ll make me happy.” And that’s all it takes for her to give in.
Afterwards, the silver-haired woman is dropped off at her doorstep bearing bags full of items and a content smile. She turns to her shopping partner with a polite little curtsy. “Thank you for today, Dani. I had lots of fun.”
“Good,” says Dani softly. “Glad I could take your mind offa things. I like seeing you happy. Let’s do this again sometime, huh, Cheesecake?” she finishes with a wink.
With that, she turns on her heel and heads for home, though not before catching the shade of scarlet spreading over the Heroine’s face.
༄˖°.🍎.ೃ࿔📚*:·
“Alright, load ’er up.”
While Ralph helps Deacon with his luggage, Chase stands with Bronze off to the side, bombarding him with questions.
“You got a change of clothes? What about contacts?” he confirms, and Bronze pats his bag with a nod.
When the keys transformed, they’d lost the majority of their supernatural traits, save for their colorful hair and crystalline eyes. So the Hollows had gotten a bunch of colored contacts in case of times the keys are spotted in public. Dyed hair is common, but a group of people all with irises perfectly resembling gemstones may obviously raise some alarms.
Particularly for any Ex Libris members or spies on the lookout for those with such characteristics. They still have to be careful. Even now.
After loading the last of the luggage into the cargo bed, Ralph scrambles into the driver’s seat, while the others bid Chase their goodbyes.
“Oh, and you got a spare toothbr—?”
“Yes Chase, we have everything,” Deacon sighs exasperatedly, giving his cousin a brief side hug before climbing in. “See ya. Take care of the keys for me.”
“You got it!” Chase sees him off with a salute as the engine starts. “Call me if you need anything!”
Bronze leans back in his seat, watching Chase and the Hollow house fade into the distance and trees whiz past, soon to explore this other side of Deacon’s life he has yet to see. Wondering what he’ll uncover there.
And more than ready to find out.