Daughter Dearest

forty

Venus felt much weaker when she awoke on Sunday morning. It was as if she could see the power leaving her body. . . She technically could. Her eyes looked almost lavender with the way the red and blue hues of her two sides mixed just before they were depleted for a full ten days. . . And her horns were almost gone. 

For a moment, Venus considered making the last minute trip home regardless of the consequences, but once Angel Dust entered her room with two mugs of hot chocolate knowing she wasn't feeling the best already, she knew she had made the right decision to stay. 

With the pink mug that said ‘fresh outta fucks’ in her hands, Venus looked at Angel gratefully. He was being kind, but wasn't staring at her with pity. He looked at her how he always did — like she was a friend and an important part of the hotel. 

“Did you tell anyone?” Venus questioned quietly, sipping on the chocolaty beverage with tiny floating marshmallows on top. 

“Nah — not my shit to tell.” He replied, getting comfortable in her bed. “But really, are you gonna be okay? I'll take off work so you don't have to tell Charlie or —”

“Ang, I'll be fine. Nothing I haven't gone through before. . . It isn't the end of the world if I have to tell Charlie, Vaggie, or even Lucifer, but I'd prefer not let him in on that yet.” She reassured him with a slight smile. 

“Just don't tell the Strawberry Pimp.” 

Venus snorted, leaning back against the headboard. Alastor had been as kind as he could muster, but it was clear there was more at play whenever he interacted with others. She wouldn't tell him anything unless it directly affected him. 

“I won't.” She hummed, bringing the mug up to her lips.

★†★

Monday morning was much worse for Venus. 
If it hadn't been for her thorough calculations, it would've looked like a massacre when she woke up in the fetal position, buried beneath the two layers of blankets. 

When she forced herself out of bed, she caught what she looked like in the mirror. It took every ounce of her energy to not become angry as she stared at herself. 

Her hair looked as if it lost all life, her eyes were void of all magic, and her horns were nowhere to be seen. 

She looked dead. . . Yet still dangerous in a sense.

Venus dragged the brush on her vanity through her hair and braided it so it would drape over her right shoulder, before putting her dark colored robe on over the mauve night dress she wore. 

With a quick stop to the bathroom, she ventured downstairs, acknowledging that her sudden disappearance would raise many questions, none of which she had the energy to answer. . . So she decided it would be a gradual disappearance to the confines of her room. . . If it could happen that way. 

“You feelin’ alright?” Husk questioned from his post behind the bar as Venus slowly passed by.

“Yes, I'm feeling fine.” She knew it was a lie. He knew it was a lie. . . She didn't sound or look fine, but it was in Husk's job description to listen if someone wanted to talk, but it was clear Venus didn't feel like talking. 

She did offer him a smile, though, just before she pushed open the kitchen door and was met with Niffty in the kitchen, stirring something in a pot. 

“You look icky.” Niffty stated bluntly once she caught sight of Venus. “What happened to you?” She quit stirring the pot of something that looked and smelled like some kind of stew, skittering over to the drained goddess, staring up at her with that eye filled with curiosity.

Venus chuckled lightly, admiring the small demon's bluntness even when she appeared to be worried. “Nothing that I won't be able to handle. . . Don't worry about it, Niff.” 

“Kay.” The small demon huffed in response, walking across the counter to the microwave a few feet away. She grabbed a plate out of it and shoved it into Venus's hands with a fork. “You'll feel better if you eat.” 

“You're in a good mood.” Venus stated, rounding the counter and sitting on one of the barstools with the plate of sausages, eggs, and hash browns before her; it was undoubtedly leftovers from breakfast earlier that morning. 

Niffty hummed and left it at that while she cleaned up the mess that had been made in the kitchen. 

Sometime later, Venus finished and decided to go up to her room again to freshen up and rest. She was exhausted. The first couple days were always the worst. 

Though just as she was getting comfortable, there was a knock on her door. . . She debated ignoring it, but her curiosity got the best of her. “Come in!” She called out, grabbing the bar of dark chocolate on her nightstand, beginning to unwrap it as the door opened. 

She broke off a square as Charlie came into view with a cautious smile. “How are you feeling? Niffty and Husk said you didn't look too good.” 

Venus chuckled, biting into the square of nutty dark chocolate, her mouth beginning to water as she did. “I could be better, but I could also be much worse. I'll survive, Charlie. . . I do appreciate your concern, though.” 

Charlie's face changed as if she wanted to ask something but was worried it would come out wrong. Eventually, she seemed to muster up the courage. 

“Did. . . Did something happen with my dad?” She questioned. 

Venus's brows furrowed, yet her mind drifted to the two instances where something very much did happen with her dad. . . But that wasn't what she was asking. “No. . . Why would you think that?” 

“Oh — uh, it's just that you've practically been hiding up here for the last couple days. . . I was worried he might have said something wrong.” She laughed nervously. “He's been out of the dating scene for a reaaalllllyyyy long time, but he means well. . . I think he really likes you!” 

The Asgardian goddess chuckled once again, setting the partially wrapped chocolate bar on top of her blanket. 
“I don't doubt that he likes me. . . He's been nothing short of a gentleman — opening doors and such. No, what's wrong with me is rather personal. . . I believe the mortals call it a ‘monthly visitor’? . . I don't remember exactly, but it's different for my kind.” 

Charlie sat there in confusion for a moment before it clicked. “Oohhhh. . . Yeah. . . How is it different? — Shit — I'm sorry if that's totally inappropriate! You don't have to tell me —” 

Venus placed a hand on her arm and smiled. 

“In simple terms. . . Roughly six months between each cycle, which lasts about ten days give or take. It drains our magic until the end and then the healers we have in Asgard — whether it be the ones in the palace or the ones scattered through the various villages — they usually tell us based off of several tests when the optimal time to conceive would be, though births are becoming few and far apart there.” 

“I wish mine were like that.” She turned away from the older woman timidly, hating that she admitted that out loud. 

“I've heard that before. You don't. I've been preparing for the last few days, Charlie. . . I won't have strength for a while. No powers. Nothing. . . I never want you to be in a position where you're powerless like I am.” 

The Princess of Hell looked back to the Asgardian goddess and finally noticed that she looked like a shell of the woman she had been just days ago. . . Sick almost. . . The dark circles under her eyes almost made her look older than she was.

“I won't tell the others. . .” Charlie trailed off. “Vaggie, maybe, but nobody else. . ."

“Angel knows too. . . But thank you.” 

“I should let you rest — one of us will bring you dinner in a little bit if you don't come down.” 

Charlie stood and Venus nodded, appreciating the much younger princess who meant well. . . It sure meant a lot to her.