♦︎Aurora Vaire♦︎
Wheel of Fortune.
Tightening my apron around my waist another time, despite my clothes already being sprinkled in drying clay—I wouldn't learn from my choice of color any time soon, that much I knew by now. After having worn many dark colors whenever I worked. Unfortunately most pieces were the more comfortable choice, in my defense—I carried myself down the room until being met with a cloud of lavender wrapped around my nose and graying hair.
"Yes, exactly like that," I confirmed gently and smiled at the elderly lady who has become a regular over the past years. "You're a natural, Mrs. Hawthorne!"
Politeness laced the wrinkled face of my customer when she flashed me a smile. "It's Elvira to you, dear."
Clay formed into a delicate shape I had created of similar nature only last night stood on the smaller stool, the plate below unmoving and the almost finished piece glistening in the warm light from the lamps standing around.
My studio was a pride and joy to add to my heart. The only thing. It was all I could focus on for as long as I can remember. It was hard not to find a reason to think about my work, especially when there was always something to add or repair. Just last night, a cutting wire ripped, turning my so very carefully crafted vase into something less pretty.
For some reason I couldn't get rid of it and instead I found myself working on it in the lesson I was teaching once more. Delicate, yet not perfect, lines woven into the clay added up to an abstract object I was now bound to look at from afar. Duty had called when my help was required.
"Aura?!" Willa, a nine-year-old's panicked voice reached me and just a brief glance in her direction told me she was having a foot of steal, making her potter's lathe spin at an unholy speed.
Humming I danced through the small spaces between the workstations, swinging along to the soft melody clearly on repeat in here—the radio kept repeating it, as well as I did. A damn unforgettable melody. "Coming, darling!" I called and the affirmation of it earned her foot to withdraw a bit more, soothing the situation a little. My hands found her shoulders and as I glanced down, I found her grinning at me with a gap between her teeth. Gasping, I kneeled beside her. "Since when?" My hands had taken her face into a gentle hold.
"Noon! It fell out in class!" She explained giddily, a small lisp to her speech.
"No way!" I grinned and soon enough found her mother walking into my studio, a newborn in her arms as she greeted me. My mouth was dipped to one side as I was whispering to Willa's mom. "Someone's going to tell a lovely story once she sees you, Erin."
The same colored eyebrow as her daughter—blonde—rose with curiosity. As if on cue, Willa's squealing voice reached us.
"Mom! Mom! Mooooom!" She couldn't wait to drop the news. Something that became more evident when she held her mother's sleeve in a death grip, jumping up and down.
Hysterical crying found my ears at once; Willa's face aged. Red.
Water found my eyes. "Everyone finds an end," I muttered, staring into space.
Blood. Blood and gore everywhere. Screaming of nothing but agony. White turned red. Once young, now old, turns to ashes. Erin would find her end in a car wreck.
"Aura?" I snapped out of my thoughts when Elvira placed her hand on my shoulder, sending the sounds of reality around us back to me. The firefly brooch she'd pinned to every of her outfits came to view. "I'm headed home. The... lady over there has been watching you for a while now." My eyes traveled through what I'd been calling my second home for forever now, only stopping when landing on the brunette by the door. Upon my gaze on the woman in that beautiful teal blue coat, she gave me a honey smile. Elvira to my right grunted into my ear. "Trouble. She means trouble. If you need me to stay longer, I will."
Elvira was shoving up her sleeves at once, ready to fight for me.
Yet, my eyes did a once-over of the new face. Only for the purpose of not being familiar with the stranger's face. Dark boots, deep purple slacks and a loose, white blouse tucked into it to emphasize her height and waist. Hair wavy and of an inviting deep coffee brown pinned up into a seemingly effortless bun. Two strands framed her face, hiding sharp cheekbones below and leading my eyes to find piercing blue ones.
Waving Elvira off with a soft smile and assurance that I was capable of holding my own, she reluctantly withdrew and bid her farewell.
The brunette. My mind snapped back to the still portrait of the stranger. She was... definitely breathtaking and oddly quiet.
Wheel of Fortune.
It was the moment before deciding to walk up to her that a baby's cries woke me from the trance. Erin's frowning face scrunched up with the trouble of giving her oldest child the attention she was asking for while handling the newborn's uneasy mood.
The lack of sleep she's been experiencing troubled her too.
Hearing the sound, I had no idea what the little human craved, until the smell hit me. Goddess forbid an innocent little baby to produce a smell as this one...
It wasn't until offering to take over the diaper change that I held a baby in one arm and the diaper bag in the other. I actually had to do what I offered.
Headed for the small attached room—the one I often used for storage of items I created so close to my heart. It wasn't a particularly large nor especially homey space. Surely, a couch may add to the charm, but apart from that? Shelves filled with vases and decor, dried flowers, crystals and the tinted windows, splitting the colors into blues, pinks and yellows, which then again mixed a little.
The crying had stopped as we entered the extra room—hence the lack of a door—and I could clearly decipher the chat being exchanged between Erin and Willa. It was a pity knowing these two would be ripped apart one day in the future.
My face twisted into confusion as the little human, placed in front of me on the couch, smiled at me. Elliot was around three months old, if my memory serves me correctly.
"Little human, I'll rid you of your stinky diaper." He giggled and I tilted my head, my fingers moving to undo his little green jumper. "You like that? I do too, you know? Because you really did a job here." He squealed in excitement, allowing me to get the job done. He was totally proud of this. A little break was required as I had to hold my breath in order to not vomit from the disgusting smell. "Goddesses above... What is your mama feeding you? Super breast milk?" He gurgled merrily, taking his toes into the mouth. Raised brow, I shrugged at the movements. "Flexible little fella. Maybe you'll be a little dancer one day?" He pouted, as if disagreeing. "No?" I fastened his new diaper, ensuring to have placed the ruined one in the nice citrus-scented bag. Lovely invention, perhaps a luxury item, but who cares? "Mhm... an Olympian?" An exclaim of disagreement followed at that too.
I shrugged and wrapped him back into the jumper, picking up the little human. Eyes tracing the many colors and things this room had to offer, I thought to give his mom and sister some more time. Walking down the shelves, explaining what I had created and what colors filled the room around, we stopped at the construction by the window, dangling from the ceiling. Little glasses in a myriad of shapes broke the light entering through the window and painted rainbows across certain areas. Grabby hands couldn't resist touching everything. When the dead items eventually grew boring, Elliot stared into my eyes as if he truly saw something behind them. Chubby hands grabbed my cheeks, traced my nose and lastly played with my hair.
"You're a curious little human." I beamed and set to return, but when halfway back to the great room of the studio, the brunette grabbed all my attention. For an unknown reason, my insides heated, letting my cheeks warm at the attention of her. She'd seen me interact with the baby.
As swiftly as my focus had shifted to her, it returned to Erin, taking her son back into her arms. "You're a lifesaver, Aura."
I wasn't, and she knew that too. "No worries. Little man and I had a conversation—he's a good listener." Giggling my pointer a little earned him to gurgle in reply. "Yes, but he's surely going to get somewhere great with those expressions. Actor?" He grunted as if offended.
Imageries of needles, pills and shaking hands were followed by bloodshot eyes.
Erin shook her head amused and once waving her goodbye and having Willa jump into my arms as if she weighted nothing to do the same in her way, I closed the door behind them, exhaling deeply. As much as I enjoy teaching pottery, people were draining me.
"Hiya," a voice called from behind me and I flung my hand to my chest, screaming in utter fright.
Turned around, I stared wide-eyed at the brunette. "I'm sorry, I.. I totally forgot you were there, Ms...."
Instead of answering me, she slandered along my studio, finding my storage room, which was only separated by strings of beads and pearls. Clinking together once entering the storage room, I find less air entering my lungs. Was my chest tightening?
I had no issue with customers of mine looking around my studio, so having her in here was not out of the ordinary. However, the way she actually looked at everything and reached to touch but withdrew last minute set something off within me.
"Would you like to join one of my classes?" I couldn't find a reason for her to walk in here and not actually talk to me. Still, in a way, having her here and not voice anything was somehow relaxing after the chaos I just waved goodbye to. Three classes a day, each reaching from six up to ten people, varying in age from nine to... How old was Evelin? I hated assuming, but she looked to be around seventy something. "Or are you interested in buying anything I have in the window?"
Not even having finished my thought, she faced me with these expressive eyes. Eyeshadow of deep and dark earthy tones heightened the intensity her light eyes held. I couldn't shake the unusual feeling around her. Something dark and twisted—a pinch of absolute sex-appeal and total boredom written in her eyes. She was something else.
The card.
"Aurora, I came for you." My forehead grew tight and my brows drew close. I have not been called by that name in decades, if not centuries.
"I'm sorry, but do I know you?" Crossing my arms, I tucked my cold fingers under my triceps.
The Wheel of Fortune.
The distance between us shrank at the large steps she took toward me. Only when the intense scent of familiarity hit my nostrils did she pause approaching. I could hear her breathing; it was beyond irritating. I wanted her to come closer—in means to find out what it was that I found so irritatingly familiar about her—yet so very far away.
"You might experience a little tingle," she explained and suddenly touched my cheeks, mumbling phrases I was not familiar with. Latin? Her touch sent waves of heat to my skin—almost as if a towel of satin was used to caress me. Maybe I was troubled because I did not instantly scream for help. I did wait until her eyes took a hue of purple to fight her—to no use.
"What are you doing?" As if to answer my question, horrible stinging prickled across my entire skin. Little needles found their way into my flesh and bones, not stopping to move even when inside of me. Lit on fire might be most suitable. "Stop!" I grunted and was made aware of her holding me even closer. "Please, make it stop!" I sobbed between enduring the agony and breathing. The fabric of her clothes was dangerously ginger against my sensitive skin, almost as if answering the request with gentleness.
Ear to her chest, the steady yet slightly increased pace of her heart brought an odd sense of comfort. What was I even thinking? Pressure all around my entire skull forced me to take my head into my hands. Was I actually thinking?
At once my vision turned hot white, then pitch black. It all came back to me.
"Open your eyes," Agatha's gentle demand whispered into my ears. Gasping for air that was suddenly flooding me, I scurried away from her. At collision with the floor, my knees took the blow entirely. Deep inhales were followed by deeper exhales, until my mind found a stop from racing and so did my heart. Hands clenching and unclenching on the pristine carpeted floor, I sensed an upcoming cramp, which led me to pause the movements of regulation. "My flower?"
My head hadn't snapped up any faster—ever. "Do not ever call me that again," I seethed, voice hoarse from the screaming I wasn't aware of doing.
Agatha rose to her feet, stuffing her hands into the pockets of her pants. Sticking out her pouty lips, she glared at me with the old mischief.
"Long time no see," she said. Oh, how I hated her with everything I had within me.
"I loathe you with every cell of my cursed body, Agatha Harkness." Shaking with hatred for the witch standing in what I called my own, I pointed a trembling finger at her—noting I was on my knees, my body shaking like a dry leaf in autumn. The way she smirked at me indicated her remaining love for the position. "Fuck you."
The other witch had the audacity to moan and step closer. "Say that again; it sounded good."
YOU ARE READING
Mirror of Echoes
Fanfiction[Agatha Harkness x Aurora Vaire (OC)] Centuries separated, Agatha returns to her ex-lover desperate for help with a united enemy. The only issue? Ages of fury are unleashed, when the witch lifts the veil she put on Aurora in the past. In the name o...
