Daughter of a Witch

Gingerbread Magic and Cozy Winter Nights

The early November snow had begun to fall gently outside the Westview home, frosting the trees and rooftops in a delicate white powder. Inside, however, the cozy warmth of the fireplace and the smell of gingerbread filled the air as Y/n stood with her mom, Rio, in the kitchen. Bowls of colorful candies, frosting in every shade imaginable, and pieces of gingerbread lined the counter, waiting to be turned into a masterpiece-or at least something resembling one.

"Are you ready, mi hija?" Rio asked, a gleam of mischief in her eyes as she surveyed the gingerbread pieces laid out before them. "Think we can top last year's creation?"

"Mom, we can totally do better than last year," Y/n replied confidently, pulling her hair back into a loose bun. She eyed the small candy-coated chimney they'd prepped earlier, a crooked smile tugging at her lips. "But no magic this time, okay?"

Rio laughed, flicking a glance toward the living room where Agatha sat curled up on the couch, nose deep in an old, leather-bound book, her favorite cup of tea beside her. "She'll never know," Rio whispered conspiratorially, lifting a hand to summon a few gumdrops to float.

Y/n smirked but grabbed her mom's wrist gently, stopping her mid-spell. "We both know Mama will totally know. Plus, remember what happened the last time?"

Rio sighed with playful exasperation. "Fine, fine. No magic," she agreed, setting down the gumdrops the old-fashioned way. "But it would go so much faster with just a little flick of the wrist."

Y/n laughed softly and shook her head. She glanced over at Agatha, who appeared to be lost in her book. "Besides, it's more fun this way."

They worked quietly for a few minutes, carefully piecing together the gingerbread walls and adding frosting as mortar. The kitchen was filled with the soft sounds of their shared work, the clinking of bowls and the faint crackling of the fire in the background.

Suddenly, a mischievous glint appeared in Rio's eyes. She raised her hand again, this time pointing her fingers at the gingerbread house's roof.

"Mom, what are you doing?" Y/n asked, eyeing her suspiciously.

"Just... giving it a little nudge," Rio said with a grin.

Before Y/n could protest, the gingerbread roof shimmered with a faint magical glow. Almost instantly, the house jolted and lifted itself slightly off the counter, wobbling on its tiny candy legs. Y/n gasped, staring in shock as the gingerbread house wiggled and shook, the candy chimney puffing out clouds of sugary smoke.

"Oh no," Rio whispered, her eyes widening.

"Mom!" Y/n yelped, as the gingerbread house suddenly sprinted across the counter, knocking over a bowl of gumdrops and a tube of frosting in its path.

Agatha glanced up from her book, eyes twinkling with amusement as she watched the chaos unfold. Y/n was chasing the gingerbread house around the kitchen, arms outstretched, while Rio stood frozen in both surprise and silent laughter.

"You've got to stop doing this," Y/n groaned as she leapt forward, barely missing the house as it zigzagged across the table. "It's like last year all over again."

"Do you want me to help, or are you two enjoying your gingerbread fiasco?" Agatha called from the couch, her lips twitching as she tried to hide her laughter.

"No, we got this!" Rio replied, but she was still laughing too hard to be much help. The gingerbread house made a mad dash for the stove, bumping into pots and pans.

Y/n shot a desperate look at her mom, who finally flicked her hand again, freezing the house in mid-run. It hovered for a moment, suspended in the air, before Rio set it back down onto the counter. The gingerbread house gave one last wobble before finally returning to its original state-though slightly crooked and covered in frosting smudges.

Agatha had set her book down, now openly chuckling at the scene. "Every year, you two. You just can't resist, can you?"

Y/n wiped a frosting smudge off her cheek, breathing a sigh of relief. "You know, this would be a lot easier if you didn't magically sabotage us."

Rio gave Y/n a cheeky grin, but there was pride in her eyes too. "You handled it perfectly, though. You're getting better at your containment spells."

"Yeah, but at what cost?" Y/n said with a glance at the mess of candy and frosting. "This poor gingerbread house didn't stand a chance."

Agatha finally stood, walking over to them and inspecting the lopsided creation. "A little crooked, but still charming. I think you both did a wonderful job-magical hijinks aside." She winked at Rio, who gave a playful shrug.

With the chaos of the gingerbread adventure behind them, they moved into the living room, eager to unwind and enjoy the peacefulness of the evening. The fire crackled warmly in the hearth, casting a soft glow over the room as Y/n settled herself on the floor in front of the coffee table. She wrapped herself in a thick blanket and began working on a puzzle that had been left unfinished from a few nights before.

Agatha settled on the couch, sitting between Rio's legs as Rio pulled her into a warm embrace, arms wrapped securely around her wife's waist. Agatha leaned back, letting herself relax into the comfort of the moment.

As Y/n sipped from her mug of hot chocolate, she glanced up at her moms and smiled. "This is much more my style. No gingerbread running amok."

Agatha chuckled softly. "The quiet moments are often the best. Plus, I'd rather have a fire I can control."

Rio grinned and kissed the top of Agatha's head, snuggling her closer. "I think you enjoyed watching that house run wild a little too much, mija."

Agatha smirked. "I can't help it if I find you two endlessly entertaining."

Y/n laughed, turning back to her puzzle as the warmth of their shared laughter filled the room. After a few minutes of contented silence, Y/n looked up, curiosity flickering in her eyes. "Mama, can you tell the story about the Christmas tree again?"

Rio perked up. "Oh yes, tell it! I missed that one the first time around."

Agatha sighed dramatically, but there was a sparkle in her eyes. "Fine. But Y/n's never going to live it down."

Y/n groaned, but a smile crept onto her face. She loved this story, even if it was a little embarrassing.

"So, when Y/n was about twelve, she decided to show off her magical skills and enchanted our Christmas tree lights," Agatha began, eyes twinkling with amusement. "The idea was to make them twinkle more brightly than usual. Simple, right?"

"Yeah, simple," Y/n muttered, burying her face in her mug.

"Well," Agatha continued, "Instead of twinkling, the lights sparked like a string of miniature fireworks. The tree practically exploded with bright colors, and then..."

"And then I caught the curtains on fire," Y/n said, her voice muffled but clearly embarrassed.

"Just a little fire," Agatha said, holding back laughter. "Nothing a good spell couldn't fix."

Rio was laughing so hard she could barely breathe, hugging Agatha tighter. "Oh my god, I would've paid to see that."

"It wasn't that funny at the time," Y/n said, but even she was laughing now. "But in my defense, I did manage to put out the fire before it spread."

"You did," Agatha agreed, nodding approvingly. "And that's why we let you do magic again... after a few months of careful practice."

The fire continued crackling in the hearth, the cozy warmth enveloping the room as they all laughed and reminisced. Y/n continued working on her puzzle, content in the warmth of the moment, while Rio and Agatha remained snuggled on the couch, enjoying the peace of the winter night.

As the snow outside continued to fall gently, the house glowed with warmth and love-magical mishaps and all.