Hazbin and Helluva Shorts II

Unhappy Birthday

It was Octavia's eighteenth birthday. But it wasn't a happy one. She had her favorite red velvet cake and presents from her uncle and friends. But her parents were fighting again. She watched in silence. They could barely go a single day without starting something, not even on this one day. Even after so many years, nothing had changed. Octavia knew her parents had never gotten along. But it was taking its toll. They had never even wanted to get married. But here they were because the Goetia elites had set them up for their own benefit. As numb as she was to all their fighting, it was impossible to dissolve it into the background noise completely.

Octavia sighed and went to her room without a word. It wasn't like they would notice her walking away in the first place. She called her best friend, Loona. They had a dreary girl talk while she ate her cake. Next, she called her uncle. Andrealphus quickly picked up and happily greeted her. Upon hearing what was going on, he invited her to come over for the day. She thought for a moment and figured she might as well. After packing some things in a backpack, Octavia left a note for her parents taped to her door and was out the window. She was so done with this. She didn't even look back.

Half an hour later, Octavia knocked on her uncle's door. Andrealphus welcomed her in and gave her ice cream. He looked after her. After an hour, Stolas called his daughter in a panic. She just rolled her eyes and handed her phone to her uncle. Andrealphus asked his brother-in-law to put him on speaker. He didn't hesitate to tell him and his sister off for neglecting Octavia's feelings, especially today. How dare they. He then informed them that Octavia would be spending her birthday with him. The two didn't get a chance to answer. Andrealphus hung up on them and hugged his niece. She hugged him back and held on. Stolas did take care of her. But it wasn't easy with her mother. Stella wasn't the most tolerable of wives and mothers.

Octavia decided to sleep over at her uncle's manor. Andrealphus cooked her lunch, took her out on a shopping spree and to the movies, and ordered her favorites for dinner and dessert. It had been so long since Octavia had had fun with her family (extended or otherwise). She had a genuine smile on her face. Andrealphus took good care of her and ensured her birthday wasn't ruined. As an extra spicy treat, he told her a little secret. And she was the first to know. Octavia had slightly inherited a liking for gossip from her mother. But unlike her, she knew how to respect privacy. She never revealed secrets unless someone was in danger. Andrealphus had met someone. And he had been seeing her recently with the intention of marrying her. Octavia realized she was getting an aunt and hugged her uncle. Andrealphus smiled and told her that she was always welcome in his home. She could come to him if her parents' fighting was too much.

For the first time since things had changed because of her father's affair with another woman and her mother verbally and emotionally abusing him, Octavia felt loved. Andrealphus made sure of it. She was still growing up. She didn't need that in her life. If worse came to worse, he was more than happy to become her legal guardian had let her live with him. They would have to appeal to the elites. Their case would be irrefutable with all the evidence against Octavia's parents. But that could wait. It was still her birthday. And she deserved to be happy.