Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

The whole world stopped; just for a second.

The tension was palpable at the dining table. Christina gulped, shifting nervously under the weight of her parents' stares, eyes widening slightly. There’s no way. It wasn’t possible she just said that, in the heat of an argument, blurting it out in a fit of frustration

How could I be so stupid?! I- I was-

Her mother flared her nose as she swivelled to her husband who was set with a blank stare. His eyes bore into Christina’s soul, but he wasn’t present, his lips had parted in shock from the outburst.

“You can not like anyone but boys,” he seethed, finally coming back to reality. He snapped at her again.

“It's against everything we stand for Christina Annabella!”

He slammed a fist down on the table and she flinched, gripping the seat and very nearly falling out of her chair. Her mother had pursed lips as she assessed her daughter. Her cold gaze squinting, digging a blade between the girl's eyes.

“We will take you to see someone to get this fixed and out of your system, understood?”

Christina narrowed her eyes, shoving her chair back and standing up.

“I can’t be fixed because i'm not fucking broken! Don’t you get that?” She screamed, choking on air.

Now I'm just digging a deeper hole. Ohmygod- Why. Did. I. Just. Do. That?

Both her parents looked her up and down, nodding to one another as her dad slowly rose out of his seat, pushing it back with a scrape.

“Get out. You are no longer a daughter of mine.”

Christina stepped back slightly shaking - with fear or anger she didn’t know.

Are they - are they kicking me out?! What am I going to-

Her dad started walking towards the stairs behind her but she moved faster. She bolted from the table and scrambled up the stairs to her bedroom, knocking her ankle on an uneven board. She cursed and hurriedly clicked open the door and promptly fell into the pile of clothes at her feet. Her eyes found the backpack on her bed and she leaped up, barely hearing words being discussed by her parents as they argued before a creak interrupted the partial eavesdropping.

Someone’s coming up.

She frantically shoved clothes from the floor into her bag, along with her phone and portable charger. Christina slid into her bathroom, across the pristine tiles and nearly fell but she flung out her hands to grip the sink before adjusting herself and grabbing a handful of toiletries out of the cabinet.

The person outside reached the top of the stairs and she leaped over the discarded clothes, slamming the door shut on her dad's face, and locking it in a futile attempt as he started beating it with his fists.

Her heart sped up, watching it frozen before coming to her senses and shoving her shoes in the bag. With one last look around her room, she snagged the wooden baseball bat from under her bed and unlatched the window. The breeze buffeted her untied hair as the door broke down - her dad fuming as she dived out the window and stumbled across the slick roof tiles before jumping off the lower story to the ground - bracing herself for impact.

“Shit!” she yelped.

Her knees buckled as she hit the ground and attempted to roll.

Scrambling off the brick driveway she ran with her mind in shambles. Christina’s blood was pumping faster with more adrenaline she’d never felt before. Her breath came in gasps as she pumped her arms harder, not daring to look back.

Where am I going to go- I can’t live like this. I- I- can’t- can’t go back.

She kept running, her backpack bouncing up and down on her back, with the baseball in one hand, she pumped harder, turning a corner.

Guess she wouldn’t make it to school today.

—————————————————————

Luz grabbed her bag, kissed her Mami, and ran out the front door with some pep in her step.

“Love you Mija!” Camilla shouted after her.

“See you Mami!” She yelled back, opening up her Azura book she had slipped in the over-she-shoulder tote bag. She shone with gless

“Azura and Hecate, enemies to lovers! Only the best trope.”

Her eyes scanned the page as she hummed contentedly to herself.

Bzzt.

Her phone buzzed loudly, the my hero academia theme playing, which meant-

“Kristi!” Luz exclaimed to no-one but herself.

The old man walking his dog across the street looked at her questioningly but she strolled on paying no mind to him, fumbling for her phone as it stringed another lot of notifications, a multitude of texts pouring in.

KRISPY KRISTI:
Hey-O! So i'm not coming to school today, sorry I wont be there for the awesome presentation :( You’ll kill it!

KRISPY KRISTI:
I’m sicL-

KRISPY KRISTI:
*sidk

KRISPY KRISTI:
**SICK

KRISPY KRISTI:
Damn. I hate autocorrect.

Luz snorted.

NOcEdA:
Skdsaksjjskj- the daily struggle.

NOcEdA:
Well get betterrr D:

“Dang it. We were partners for that English presentation.”

Sighing, she gently placed her prized book back into the bag and whipped out her earbuds. Sticking them in, she hummed along as she walked to school - her mind buzzing.

___________________________________

Kristi’s lungs burned - hands shaking from the now dissipating adrenaline hit, now she felt the build-up of lactic acid. She’d found an alleyway between two houses, only streets away from Luz and Mrs. Noceda.

No. I can’t burden Luz with this. What she doesn’t know can’t hurt her.

Her phone dinged; bringing her back into the present, slightly shaking her head.

NOcEdA:
Well get betterrr D:

The sweaty teen smiled - vision slightly swimming as tears started to pool in her eyes as she slid down the grimy wall. She wiped the collar of her t-shirt over her face to wipe away the threatening dam.

I'm so stupid!

“Why can’t I- why couldn’t I just keep it to myself.”

She glanced down at her damn shirt.

Pathetic.

Kristi leant over, pulling her bag onto her lap and reefing it open. Pushing things aside as she sorted through, trying to find what belongings she still had.

“S’all I have left.” She sniffled.

Pulling out her crumpled hoodie, she stuck her hands in the pockets - something was in there. Her red-rimmed eyes widen when her hand pulls back with two packets of peppermint gum. She shoves it in her loose jean pocket.

Ding!

She flicked over to her phone, seeing she got another notification from Luz. Scooping it up she pulls in her knees, huddling around the phone.

Her friend sent a photo of herself walking to school, pulling a stupid face with her earbuds dangling.

Kristi laughed waterly at the image, sniffling and wiping her nose on her sleeve.

- -

The sun had started to set, dropping down below the houses and she was enveloped in shadow. She was too open in the alley, she needed to move.

She got to her feet, steeling herself with determination and picking up her bag roughly before clasping the handle of the wooden bat. Kristi walked down the wide alley with the bat in hand and slinked out onto the street as the last wisps of gold faded.

Stumbling into a quick stride she made her way down streets, criss-crossing all over the suburb and keeping an eye out for cars as a slight panic set in. Where could she go? A car turned down the street at a slow pace and Kristi panicked walking faster to the footpath. The sleek, black car pulled into the next driveway and a man got out, followed by two kids. The toddler attached himself to the man's ankle while the older girl slid the doors shut and whipped out a phone, walking towards the house’s door. The man broke into a wide grin and pocketed his keys, scooping the small boy up into his arms before ruffling his hair and pivoting towards the door. The house was warmly lit and Kristi sighed, turning back to the footpath and gripping her bat that little bit tighter. Her angry sobs had ceased but the cracking tear-tracks on her face were red.

Caught up in her mind, she hit a mailbox and stilled. She unconsciously walked to the entrance of Luz’s house, the front steps less than a metre away as it started to lightly rain. The lights inside the house glowed warmly and she could hear the kettle whistling - bubbling with scalding hot water. Kristi inhaled the cosy atmosphere before turning on her heel and walking towards the treeline leading into the scarcely packed forest.

The water dribbled off the green leaves, running onto the ground, making it muddy. She started to get the chills, quickly making her way through the forest she hopped from patch to patch, trying to not be pulled into the mud. She clung to a tree, her hair limp and hanging as water filtered through the leaves above. The clearing was getting darker by the minute and soon she’d be stranded in the middle of the trees. In the distance, a rickety abandoned house came into view. It was made entirely out of wood, there was no door - only a weathered frame showing the seemingly bare front room. Christina sprinted towards the shelter and slipped under the porch. Attempting to wipe some of the water off, she dropped her bag down and crouched - pulling out a hoodie to keep her warm as the rain pattered in the background.

Slowly she stood, firstly ringing out her damp shirt before flinging the jumper so it lay over her shoulder and pulling out the flashlight in her phone. She stepped towards the opening and peered inside.

Oh boy.

It was dusty- very dusty. Newspaper articles were haphazardly thrown over the small space and the metal of scattered animal traps located around the room glinted in the light. She needed to be careful as to not set one off.

She peeled off her wet shirt, up above her head and heard it slap on the wood - making the dust fly up and irritate her nose. Sneezing, she pulled the hoodie over her sports bra and comfortably rolled her neck, looking back to the soaking red shirt - which was now covered in a thick layer of dust. She huffed in annoyance.

Positioning the flash, she wiped the soaking puddle of shirt back and forth on the creaking floorboards, successfully pulling dust away and leaving a semi-polished finish.

Plonking down with a thud, she wiped her mud-caked feet on the now brown shirt and pulled her bag close. She turned off the flash to save the very much needed battery. Without the artificial light, the moonlight filtered through the gaping hall as her eyes adjusted; shirt still sitting in a musty, damp pile, and slick bat pulled close. She sighed, curling impossibly tighter - coiled around the only belongings she had left in her possession. Her phone buzzed with instagram notifications but she couldn’t even summon the strength to try and grasp it.

The events of the day weighed on her, almost forcing her down with its sheer mass; squeezing her insides as tears ran down her cheeks, trying to slip away from her. She could feel the salty taste in her mouth as her eyes squeezed shut and she drifted off - she couldn’t blame them.

I’m alone.

Chapter Text

The sun was bright, and any trace of the downpour the night before had disappeared. Everything was perfect - until it wasn’t.

It all came crashing back into her mind; the dinner, the rain - the suffocating darkness that surrounded her; and the literal rickety house.

Quit it.

She pushed herself up off the floor and rubbed her eyes, effectively shoving her thoughts aside. She wasn’t tired. She wasn’t.

Kristi grabbed her phone, and checked the time.

6:57am

“Hmm,” she hummed - looking behind her and deeper into the old house “might as well” the girl mumbled.

Rubbing her irritated eyes, she stood up and stretched, cracking and kneading out the kinks in her back, then scooping up her bag - with the bat shoved halfway into it.

Peering past the doorway, a set of stairs led up the left side of the house - light shining softly through the cracks in the rickety wood. She silently paced up the stairs, being careful to not step on obvious weak points. The teen was only halfway up when she heard an unusual sound from the front room.

Weird…

“Bleh” a voice spat, “it's too early for this.” they huffed.

“Yeah, I know, I know King. But we need to get in early - before the coven scouts start snooping.”

“But that's at like, midday.” The first one whines.

“Exactly - need to put food on the table somehow!” They were way too enthusiastic for the early hour in the morning Kristi decided.

“Edaaa,” they pout, “the human sun isn’t even fully up!”

Sorry what- human?

Thump. Something large dropped on the floor.

“Alright Albert, you know the drill.” the second - more feminine voice said. A bird tweeted, almost in response-

No. That’s not right… Am I concussed?

There was shuffling and Kristi pulled out the baseball bat, slowly treading down the stairs, but making sure to keep out of the line of sight of the other room.

What are you gonna do with that dumbass-

“Shut up!” she whisper-yelled, slapping her hand over her mouth instantly.

Shit- Fuck- Shit. I’m so dead. Why did I do that? W h y.

The scuffling got louder in the room before it muffled; footsteps receding with an echo of concrete, and the shouts of people haggling in the distance accompanying it. But there were no stalls, no hagglers - no concrete!

So what the bloody hell is going on!

She sucked in a breath and spun out of her hiding spot - bat aimed at the noise, eyes squinting; in a…somewhat defensive pose.

There was no one there, she cracked open her eyes before completely relaxing. Her arms slacken, dropping the bat to her side,

“What…” she said. But before she could piece together her jumbled thoughts she laid eyes on a floating, golden-rimmed door, and froze. It seemed to be the source of all the noise so she hesitantly crept around it and came face to face with the inside of a messy tent. Books and oddities strewn everywhere, and an array of things hung from strings connected to the top.

The f-

She was cut off by the loud shouts coming from the entrance of the crowded room.

Deep breaths.

She inhaled, wrestling her bat mostly back into her bag before tightening her grip on the backpack’s straps and crept forward, peeking out the flap.

Where am I? I’m- im dreaming right?

The humanoids had a variety of eyes, limbs, horns and colours. The majority of them had pointed ears, which was odd. The street was bustling with crowds. It was a kind of farmers market, but a fantasy dream.

She stared up at the auburn sky, mesmerised by the swirling atmosphere.

“Woah” she breathed.

“Come one! Come all! Oddities from the human realm!”

The human realm…

“Am I in another realm?” she muttered to no one in particular. That. That was the voice from before - the feminine one. Uh what was it? Ede? Egg?

No, that doesn’t seem right…

Whoever it was had tall heels; how is she standing upright in those? and had a matching red theme that matched her torn dress. The pasty elf had a poof of grey hair, it was sleek but puffy; slightly bouncing as she haggled with the passersbys.

I need to get out of here.

She stepped back into the tent, searching for another way out. Leaping over the junk, something caught her eye. She pulls out a satchel of bandages with a -random- metallic lighter strapped to the side, and the surrounding objects topple.

Aw shoot.

Fumbling, the lanky teen attempts to reassemble the crumbling pile and only makes more noise. A pot reverberates as it hits the floor and she winces.

“King,” there was that odd voice again, “Can you go check to make sure there’s none of ‘em uhh… what you call them. The ah! Possums.”

“What’s a poz-som?” ‘King’ replies.

“Ah, you know what, don't worry. I just need to-”

Something snapped just outside the flap and Kristi took it as time to go. She clumsily shoves the newly acquired items into her bag before hobbling over to the portal door.

Taking a look through to the old house, she treads past it to the back of the tent and leans down on shaky legs, pulling up the fabric and slipping under before getting back up and dusting herself off.

She halts mid-step and looks out, off the steep cliff face, and takes in the surrounding environment. A large skull took up a portion of the view, along with a large castle surrounded by thick walls; and houses jumbled in a small town at the base.

The colours all swam together as the sky dragged - like a messy toddlers painting. Grotesque creatures swarmed the street, intermixing with the human-esqe population.

Out of place, Kristi’s anxiety levels spike as she tries to force her breathing down. All she could hear was the blood in her ears as she sped off running along the side of the cliff face.

I need to find somewhere to fix this. There’s no way in hell I'm in some fantasy land. Wait- is this hell?

Sprinting, she effectively slid -did not trip- down and into the thick trees.

The leaves and twigs scratched at her face and arms as she tried to cover herself during the short fall.

“Oof!”

The air was punched out of her lungs as she made hard contact with the mossy ground.

The light slightly filtered through the leaves, making the small section of presumably large forest quiet, and relatively dark.

Kristi felt the crunch of leaves beneath her boot and hunched down, picking one up and peering around the clearing.

“If I wasn’t shiting myself right now, I think I could enjoy the view.”