anadil's mother +oneshots and short stories

one shot - henchmans and braids

(anadil's pov!! +read note at the end)

 After tossing around for what felt like hours, I sit up on the carpet me and the coven have been sleeping on. Agatha offers the bed in the guestroom every couple days, but today we're on the carpet. I look over to Hester on my left, fast asleep facing me with an arm laid out against the now empty space. Dot is to my right, facing the bed Agatha and the ugly prince are asleep on.

They had argued for hours on who sleeps in what position- Dot wanted to be in the middle because she gets scared of something crawling out from underneath the bed and eating her, but Hester didn't want to smell her 'chocolate breath' as she slept. So now I'm stuck in the middle.

I slowly get out of bed, not trying to wake any of them up. I silently close the bedroom door as I walk toward the kitchen, and pour myself a glass of milk. I allow the cold liquid to take away some of the raspy itch in the back of my throat. I sit at one of the spinning stools Guinevere has lined up against the countertop.

One week. That's all we have until the sun dies down and disappears entirely. It doesn't feel real. I think back to both of the villains I have to deal with- both Jack's giant and Rose's evil fairy. I've figured out a plan for the fairy- but don't quite know how to take down the giant. But I'll figure it out. I have to.

My whole time at school- people referring to me as Hester's henchman, her sidekick. I'm more than that. I'm worth more.. I've done more. Right?

And then, without any warning, I hear someone behind me say, "It's 3 am."

I yelp, almost falling out of my seat, and then promptly choke on the mouthful of milk I was in the middle of swallowing.

"Jesus! You're jumpy today," Hester says, looking at me concerned and putting a hand on my shoulder before sitting on a stool next to me.

"Sorry.. I was thinking."

She looks at me without saying anything. She takes my glass of milk and takes a sip out of it. Two years ago, I would've threatened to kill her for it. Now, an indescribable feeling makes its way into my chest because I know she wouldn't do that with anyone else.

"Thinking about what?" she finally replies. I sigh.

"Nothing. Everything." I set my head on my palms. I know she's tired- I can tell, the way her head tilts ever so slightly and her blinks are slowed. Is she up for me?

"Hester, why are you awake?"

"Ani. Why are you trying to take on two villains." I don't look at her, now avoiding her gaze.

"I have to."

"No, you don't. You're exhausted." She swivels my stool to make me face her. I don't look into her eyes. "Ani-"

"No. No, you don't get it." I snap at her, now focusing my beat-up, fizzling out energy onto her.

"I do get it. I get trying to prove yourself- wanting to be more-"

"But you're already more. I- I'm not. Everyone says I'm just a henchman- and I'm starting to think it's true. I have to show that I'm not."

"Nobody says that, Anadil." She looks at me squarely, unwavering. "Everyone is fucking terrified of you, cause they know you can send one of your rats to decapitate them if they're not. Also I'll beat the shit out of them." I laugh, and I see something like a smile on her face. Maybe.

"Don't say you're just a henchman. You're so much more.. a hero. A friend. A protector.

I smile at her. "Thank you,"

"But..?" she says, her voice trailing off.

I'm so much more. She said that- so why doesn't it fill up the strange void inside of me?

I avoid the statement-like question. "Hester, can I braid your hair?"

She stares at me, dumb-founded.

"Um.. yeah. Sure." I get off my stool and stand behind hers, and take her hair in my hands. I've always wondered what it would be like to braid the red-streaked black hair, but assumed I would never actually do it.

But what's the point in waiting now, when we're all (probably) gonna die in like, a week, from the sun burning itself out?

I section it into three parts, and braid the mid-length hair slowly. The silence isn't suffocating- she doesn't say anything about how I'm acting like an Ever and doesn't bring up the conversation from before. And then I finish, and snap an elastic from my wrist around the end. I sit back down on my stool, taking a sip of my milk.

"Hester.. It's not so much about people just calling me a Henchman. It's about people saying I'm just your henchman."

She looks at me, utterly confused.

"So... you'd be okay with them calling you someone else's henchman...?"

I sigh.

Realizing I'm in love with Hester had to be the hardest thing I've ever done. I've been stabbed, fought, starved, and beaten- but nothing compares to having to admit that, as a Never, you are in love with someone who will never, ever love you back.

But.. here I am, practically telling her. Because what have I got to lose?

"No, Hester. Think. Just. Your. Henchman."

I pointedly stare at the countertop as realization dawns upon her.

She doesn't say anything for a long moment.

"Ani... you're not just my Henchman."

I turn to her.

And then she puts her hands around my waist and kisses me like the world is ending (but it actually is). I yelp in shock before processing what is happening and wrap my arms around her neck, kissing her back. For the first time in a long time, I feel safe.

Did I imagine this several times? Yes. But it's so much better than anything I could've thought of.

"OMG. WHAT. IS. GOING. ON." Dot squeals, standing in the doorway to the kitchen. I sigh, moving back from Hester and sitting on my stool, knowing that something's about to go down.

"Dot sweetie! I'm going to kill you." Hester says, before her demon explodes off her neck.

I touch my lips, smiling.

author's note :

yayayayayyyy i hoped u like it!!! so like what should i write for my next actual chapter of anadils mother bc i genuinely dont know... also pls give me other oneshot ideas bc i love writing them!! sorry this one took so long!! i've been kind of busy but soon school will be out and ill have all the time in the world (i dont know how to manage unsanctioned time)