Flash Fic February Day Eighteen (02/18/2022) Prompt: Color
He had always made sure Paradox had always been a place of color, of light. That even on the coldest of New York nights, it was warm inside, and welcoming. The dozens of crystals and charms used to cast reflections on the walls, painting rainbows with light that shifted with every passing hour.
But now it felt cold, and bleached of color. Stephen couldn’t remember the last time he’d seen light bouncing off the crystals and glass charms. It would have been for him to simply… make light and color, to make Paradox feel like home again. But his heart wasn’t in it.
His heart arching, his eyes drifted to the empty spot on his desk, where Hecate — Lucy — would sit, swinging her legs and telling him all about what the stars told her, and what she’d seen, and the latest Kindred politics. But she’d never sit there again.
It had been over a year, and Stephen still refused to place things over her spot, to let the clutter on his desk extend to where she used to sit. It’d be like finally admitting she was truly dead and gone. And he couldn’t do that. He wouldn’t.
There was only one object in her space: the purple crystal he had given her so long ago. The Veri Peri. The iridescent purple of the crystal glittered at him, still as shiny as the day he’d given it away, as though it were mocking him. It’s your fault, it seemed to say. You killed her, and her parents, and ruined her life. His hand balled into a fist. He should’ve destroyed it the day he’d taken it off her body. But… something had stopped him. He knew Lucy had loved the crystal. She always held it when she was nervous, or afraid; like it gave her strength. And he’d seen her casting it loving looks when she thought no one was looking, gazing into its depths and seeing things only those blessed with the Sight could see.
He didn’t have the heart to destroy the crystal. Not after years of seeing it around Lucy’s neck. He picked it up gingerly, the purple glittering at him, shimmering in the warm light of the store. “I really fucked it up, didn’t I?” His voice was hoarse; he hadn’t spoken to anyone in days. In truth, the only people he spoke to now were the people, or Kindred, who wandered in.
It had been a year, but he still couldn’t let her go.
The bell over the door rang out, clear and pure, startling Stephen and making him jump a bit in his chair. He shoved the Veri Peri into his pocket, hastily wiping at his damp eyes as he rose to his feet to great whoever just walked in. “Hey, welcome to-” His voice died in his throat. Why was she here? He felt his magic roil and scream in his veins as he found himself staring face to face with Percy. “What the fuck are you doing here?” He hissed at her, his anger rising like a tide.
She looked like shit. Like she had stopped caring if her hair was shining and perfect, that her skin was the perfect shade of pale. Her blond hair hung limp, her blue eyes duller than they had been the last time he had seen her. Even her clothes were different; gone were the revealing, provocative outfits, instead she wore an oversized hoodie and jeans. His hoodie, he realized with a start. His anger raged within, sparking his magic. It was only years of careful training that kept his power in check and under control.
Percy winced, and it was only then that Stephen realized how nervous and afraid she looked. Good. She should be afraid; to think she had the audacity to show her face here, after not even attending Lucy’s funeral, after Lucy had left her nearly everything she owned…
“Stephen,” she said, her voice sounding just as rusty and unused as his own. “I need to talk to you.”
“We have nothing to talk about. Leave.” He was only being kind as a consideration to Lucy’s memory. Lucy had always forgiven Percy, had always saw the best in her. And that was the only reason Percy was still standing here in one piece.
“Please,” she pleaded, her voice desperate. She took a tentative step forward. “Please, I need to tell you something, about-… about Lucy-”
“You don’t get to talk about her to me,” he spat. “Not after you couldn’t show up to her funeral, not after everything you did to her.”
“I… I’m sorry.” Percy stilled, casting her gaze to the floor. “Will you just… let me talk, for a few minutes? And then I promise I’ll leave, if you want. Please.”
The hand still in his pocket tightened around the Veri Peri. It was warm in his grasp, pulsing as though it had a heartbeat. Lucy would hear her out.
“Fine.” His voice was cold. Just because he was giving her a chance, didn’t mean he had to be kind to her. “Talk. And then you’re never coming back here again.”
“I…: She hesitated, awkwardly shuffling her feet, her hands reaching up towards her neck, only to close on empty air. Something about it was familiar… “Lucy isn’t dead,” she whispered.
His anger rose again, threatening to overtake him. “Fuck off. I saw her body, we all did. She’s gone.”
Percy shook her head. “No, please, I can explain-”
“I don’t want to hear whatever bullshit you’ve cooked up now. You hurt her, constantly, but she was always giving you second chances. And now she’s dead, forever.” As he said it, the reality of it finally struck. He felt the pressure of tears behind his eyes, an iron fist gripping his throat, and making it hard to breathe. Gone. Lucy was gone. And he’d never see her again.
Percy suddenly started to cry, taking another step forward. “No, I’m not! I’m standing right in front of you!”
He froze, watching the tears stream down Percy’s face. “What are you talking about?” He barely dared to breathe. What had she meant?
“Percy tried to commit Diablarie,” she sobbed. “But she failed. Percy is dead. And I’m stuck in her body.”
Diablarie. A sin among Kindred. The act of consuming another’s soul for power, with disastrous results if it failed. “Then…” he could barely speak. “Lucy?”
She nodded, tears flowing freely, and it finally clicked into place. Her body language, the way she dressed… all of it screamed Lucy. He felt stupid for not realizing it sooner. And if Percy had truly committed Diablarie… then of course Lucy would have all of her things legally transferred to “Percy.”
“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner,” she said, wiping at her face. “But I didn’t… I didn’t know how to face you looking like her. I didn’t mean to leave you alone-”
But he was moving towards her, the Veri Peri forgotten in his pocket, as he pulled her into a tight hug, his own tears flowing freely. She buried her face in his shoulder, crying harder. “I missed you,” he breathed.
He felt her smile against him, despite her tears. “I missed you too.”
