The Romantic Art of Bitchcraft

Pity Party

   Madison throws open the door, followed by a flying candle that gets sent smashing into a wall in the wake of her rage. She's had this whole day planned for a week, and now Cordelia is making everybody gather in the den for the entirety of the day, and it's all Zoe's fault. If that damn witch bitch hadn't skipped out on Morning Mass, Cordelia wouldn't have her panties all twisted against her clit, and Madison would be off getting high and hammered and probably a good dicking, given that it was the day of Mardi Gras and they were smack dab in the middle of goddamn New Orleans.
   This was the only day out of the entire fucking year that this ratchet-ass town offered any chance for some real fun just by stepping outside. Now, Madison would have to miss it, all because Zoe was probably up here getting it from Kyle.
   Madison glares at the room, narrowing her eyes when she locks in on where Zoe sits, her back against the dresser and her head in her hands.
   Actually, Zoe looks a little upset herself.
   Madison wants to stay angry, wants to chew this slut out for being so selfish, wants to... I don't know; wants to make her pay!
   But Madison sees her, sitting there looking dejected, and she knows something's off. Zoe's always annoying in the mornings, making sure Madison's up and not getting involved in shit that's too illegal, or practicing spells from some crusty-looking old book she's found, or even occassionally giving an embarrassingly peppy speech about the sisterhood of the Coven and how they need to bond together and yada yada, yawn, who-the-fuck-actually-cares.
   But today she's just...sitting there.
   Something's wrong.
   Madison sighs and announces her arrival by aiming a kick at Zoe's leg. It produces more force than she had intended, pitching Zoe sideways so hard the poor girl almost falls flat on her face, except she throws her hands out just in time.
   "What...?" she yelps, looking up at Madison. Recognition is quick to cross her expression. "Oh. It's just you."
   Zoe slides her arms out in front of her, now just laying there on the floor.
   Madison really doesn't know how to react to this.
   "You missed Morning Mass," she spits, pleased with the note of venom in her voice.
   Zoe shrugs...kinda. She attempts to, but really there's not an actual way to do that when you're laying face-down on the floor. Which she is, for some reason.
   Madison huffs. "This is not some "whatever" type shit you started! Cordelia is actually really pissed off, and while you're up here, doing... whatever, she's downstairs punishing the rest of us for your fucking mistakes!"
   Zoe's shoulders are jiggling slightly, the way they do when she's laughing.
   "Bitch!" Madison growls, positively fuming now. Her nails dig into Zoe's skin as she tugs on the girl's shoulder to force her to turn around.
   How dare she laugh when she finds out how much she's ruined Madison's day!
   Except that Zoe's not laughing.
   That's the first thing that Madison realizes as she registers the tears streaming down the younger witch's face.
   Madison wants to stay mad, but she can feel her expression soften as she loosens her grip on Zoe, sliding her hand over until her whole arm is around her silently-sobbing roommate.
   "What's wrong?" she practically whispers, her voice embarrassingly gentle. She clears her throat, adding a rougher tone. "Is it Kyle? Do I need to kick his frat-boy ass? I swear to god, if he tried anything with you--"
   "It isn't that," Zoe promises, her voice hoarse. It's actually pretty low and husky, and if the moment wasn't as emotional as it is, Madison would probably be a little turned on. She'd love to hear Zoe use that voice to say, "fuck me" or "bed, now" or something just as sexy as that voice.
   But now isn't the time for any of that.
   "If it's not Kyle," Madison probes, "then...What gives?"
   Zoe shakes her head.
   "Everything," she sighs, and with the way she says it, Madison can almost believe that it's true. "I killed Charlie. I couldn't help Kyle. I mean, he's alive, but what kind of life is he living? I screwed up this Coven, coming here. I don't belong here, but my parents don't want me, so where can I go? I... I just can't make up for any of my fucking mistakes."
   Oh.
   Madison knows depression.
   Well, not personally. But she's seen it full force in Hollywood, and she knows it's the main reason so many stars drink and snort and make such an ass out of themselves in public.
   She's never learned how to deal with it, though. And she certainly never knew it was something that affected Zoe.
   She doesn't like it.
   She pretends to be annoyed with Zoe-- and fucking god, most days she doesn't even have to pretend-- but not-too-deep down, she cares about this witch.
   She knows Zoe is a good person, and she doesn't deserve this shit.
   Madison sighs, wanting so badly to ease the girl's suffering.
   She does the only thing she thinks might help:
   She slaps Zoe across the face.
   Hard.
   Zoe picks herself up off the floor, and for an instant, there's a spark in her eyes. It's incredibly angry, but it's better than that hollow nothingness that had been there a second before.
   Then Zoe gets this look, like the fire inside her just died, and the hollowness is back. She sinks back to the floor, onto her knees.
   "Hell, no, bitch!" Madison growls, gripping the collar of her dumbass Gap t-shirt, forcing the girl back on her feet. "You don't get to shut down just because some D-list shit happened to you. What you do now is clean up this pathetic little mess of a pity party and grow a pair!"
   Madison was holding the girl so close, she could practically feel Zoe's heart rate increasing. She leaned forward the tiniest bit, brushing her lips against the tip of the girl's nose, before letting her go with a little shove.
   "Be downstairs in five minutes," Madison instructed, striding off towards the door. She paused in the frame, turning to inspect Zoe with a look of disgust. "And get dressed. Borrow some of my clothes if you have to. Just...fix yourself. Please."
   And with that, she's gone.
   And she misses the small smile that creeps across Zoe's features.
   She misses the moment Zoe realizes that this weird interaction is just Madison dealing with a person she cares for the only way she knows how.
   She misses it when Zoe goes over to the shelf and picks up a specific crumbling book.
   She misses it as Zoe sighs and says, "Okay. Show me a spell that combats negative energy."
   And she misses it when Zoe walks back over to the dresser, climbing out of her jean shorts and t-shirt, exchanging them for a form-fitting black dress.
   But she doesn't miss it when Zoe strides down the staircase with a new air of confidence, a genuine smile directed at Madison.
   Madison doesn't miss it.
   In fact, she smiles right back.