Follow love and it will flee, flee love and it will follow thee (Morissa)

Chapter 9: A Night To Start

Laelia feels some sort of relief after talking to Morticia about her mother, the lump in her throat is finally gone. Morticia offered to take her back to her room, she refused at first but since they both had to go on the same path to their rooms so she had no other choice.

"Do you mind if I ask you something?" Morticia speaks first to break the weird silence around them.

"Of course not, Mr... Morticia" Laelia replies.

"It has been in my mind for a while! I keep wondering if you're a Shapeshifter or a Psychic?"

"Oh, that. Umm... I'm a Shapeshifter, but I'm not very good at it" Laelia says with a blush on her cheeks "I keep messing it up, the only thing that I can change right now is my hair color"

"There is nothing to be embarrassed about, ma chérie! I can see that you are a brilliant girl so you'll improve it in no time!"

"I don't think that I can. I have tried and practiced it for years but still can't make it!"

"How about you show me your ability, I might not be the Shapeshifter myself but I used to read many books about them and even have one as my roommate as well, maybe I could help you... or at least attempted to. What do you say?"

Morticia can't even believe what she just said. That isn't a lie of course but it isn't the truth either. She did have a Shapeshifter roommate and read many books about them, but she doesn't know them that well. Morticia turns her attention back to the girl, Laelia seems nervous, she takes a deep breath before looking up to the woman's eyes.

"It sounds fine to me. We can go to my room and do it there" she blushes a little bit. Laelia doesn't think she is lesbian or anything like that. But having time alone with her teacher in her own room? That gives her panic.

"Relax, darling! I'm not going to eat you alive!" Morticia whispered the last into the girl's ear with a teasing tone.

Laelia turns red quickly as the warm breathe touches her skin, leaving a strange sensation. She starts walking faster to hide her embarrassed state, Morticia knows it but she doesn't want to tease the girl too much, so she adjusts her pace so that she is just a few steps behind Laelia. Their figure slowly disappears into the dark corridor, disappearing under Wednesday's gaze.

Their footsteps echo through the empty hallway, Laelia suddenly feels so tiny and vulnerable, the closer she gets to her room, the heavier her legs feel. Something in the air shifted as they walk, it washing over Laelia's mind.

Unknowingly, they have arrived at Laelia's room, Laelia gently opens the door and lets her dorm mom go in. Her room is well organized, every corner is spotless, even her bed looks perfect with no wrinkle, the girl took after her mother in this aspect Morticia can tell.

Morticia comes to the window, her hand reaching out to close the curtain, then she turns back and sits down on the bed. She notices the girl looks nervous for some reason, Morticia doesn't seem to realize how... inappropriate they are right now.

"Come here, dear! Sit next to me" Morticia says.

Laelia quickly complies without saying a word, her face a bit red but not that obvious to be seen.

"Let's start with some easy thing, alright?" Morticia moves closer to Laelia.

"Umm hmm" the blond nods slightly.

"Then we'll start with the face first. Focus on my face. Look at it, every single detail. Memorize it"

Laelia does just like what her teacher says, she locks her eyes on the face in front of her. She looks at it up and down. Her brows, her eyes, her nose, her mouth, her lips. Laelia focuses on their shape, their colors, their... beauty.

The more she observes, the closer her face is to Morticia's, and Morticia herself also thinks it starts to be a little too close.

"Is that enough, ma chérie?" she breaks the intense staring by leaning backward so they can keep an appropriate distance.

"Oh... i... uh... I'm sorry!" Laelia blushes as she realizes how close she is to Morticia, the blond sits back in place, maintaining a good distance between them.

"It alright, dear! Now, try to imagine those you just observed as yours. How are your eyes going to be? Your nose? Your lips? Your face?" Morticia speaks softly, guiding the little girl the way to shift, even though those things that she just said were from a book that she read long ago.

Laelia squeezes her eyes shut, she tries to focus her mind on shifting but she hardly feels any changes on her face.

"Do I look different?" Laelia asks.

"Not much, your hair does change color but not the length of it!" Morticia places her hands on the girl's shoulders "Don't rush. Relax, dear!"

Laelia lets out a sigh, her eyes fall to the ground. She gives it another try, this time her face does change but it doesn't last long and soon comes back to normal. The third time she tries, her head suddenly spins, she feels dizzy as her sight starts to become blurry.

"Are you alright, dear? You look pale!"

"I'm fine, Morticia... maybe a little tired"

"Okay, do you feel any discomfort or something strange?"

"No... I don't think so!" Laelia shakes her head, suddenly she furrows and falls forward.

"Laelia, are you sure you alright?" Morticia immediately catches Laelia and holds the girl in her arms tightly.

"I... yes... I think so" Laelia's voice is trembling, opposite to the things she says, which only worries Morticia more.

"Tell me the truth, don't lie to me! I just want to help you, ma chérie!"

"I... uh... no, it feels dizzy!" Laelia shrinks herself into Morticia's arms, the coolness from the older woman's skin feels so comforting to her.

"Maybe that's a side effect, it happens sometimes. How about we call it a night and have a rest? You don't look too well, dear!" Morticia gently pats the girl's back.

"I still can continue"

"Alright, then let's take a break, we continue when you get better!"

Mortician leans back on the wall while still holding Laelia in her arms. She listened to the other breathing as the silence covered the room. The quiet soon filled with warmth and comfort that the girl provided her. It's been so long since the last time she felt this kind of peace in her mind.

Looking down, Morticia sees her student is already asleep, her breath is fitting into a rhythm, like a song she used to sing for Wednesday before bedtime.

Morticia lies down on Laelia's bed with Laelia still sleeping soundly and has her arms wrapping around Morticia's waist, she puts the blanket over both of them. And for the first time in months, she has a peaceful sleep.