Chapter Text
It was another sunset in the city. People were strolling through the streets minding their own business. Couples walked arm in arm and chatted lightly and happily. Meanwhile, you were closing up shop.
You locked up the small newspaper shack, shoving the key into your front pant's pocket. You sighed an looked over the bustling street. You caught the familiar figure across the street, bussing the tables at the cafe. The young man, Grady, chatted with a few of the patrons, before catching your gaze. He looked up and sent a wave your way.
You looked down sheepishly, sending a meek wave back, before making your way into the crowd. How embarrassing, what made you think spying on him was alright?
To tell the truth, you've had a small crush on the young man for a while. He was kind and sweet, he even helped you out some mornings with setting up the newspaper shack. You haven't chatted too much, but you both loved jazz music and good wine. It was hard to find single guys your age nowadays and you're not getting any younger.
You pushed through the bustling crowds, when suddenly something caught your foot and sent you forward. You put out your arms to catch yourself, but another pair of arms came under you and caught you instead. You looked up to find another familiar face. The bokor smiled and helped you back on your feet.
"Miss. (L/N). Wrong place and time to practice your nosedives, isn't it?" Dr. Facilier asked, leaning on his cane. Your face heated up in embarrassment.
"I'll have you know that was a nosedive, doctor. And you're one to talk. What are you doing out at such a late hour?" You pressed, turning the conversation on him. He didn't seem phased, as he chuckled and straightened up.
"Why, ___, I'm just out for a stroll. Business is slow, so I decided to come out and promote it a little with some card tricks." He waved his hand and suddenly a deck of cards appeared in it. You weren't a stranger to magic card tricks, but you also weren't a huge fan. You didn't want to be caught in the dark.
"That's alright. I need to head home. Maybe another time." You smiled politely and started to go past him, but suddenly he linked arms with you and spun you back to your original position.
"I understand your rush, trust me. How about we make a deal?" Facilier grinned, taking his hat off the top of his head, revealing his curly brown hair. "One card trick. If I guess your card wrong, you can go on your way, but... If I guess it right, you can come on into my parlor. Get a free reading."
You sighed. Would it really hurt? You suppose he could entertain you.
"Sure, alright." You answered, causing Facilier's grin to widen. He spread the cards in his hands in front of you, face down, holding them out to you.
"Pick a card, gorgeous."
"H-huh?!" You were surprised by the sudden name of affection. You weren't sure if he acted the same way around other girls. You hoped so, it had taken you off guard.
You reached out and grabbed one of the cards. Five of diamond. Alright, easy enough,
"You know your card?" He asked.
"Yeah, I got it." You nodded, remembering the card. He held the deck back out.
"Don't tell me! Just slip the card back into the middle."
You did so, slipping it in. Facilier easily shuffled the cards in his hands, even doing a few tricks, like spinning a card on his finger. Once done, placed the deck on the palm of his hand and drew the first card. He held it up to your face.
"Is this your card?" The three of spades.
"That's not it."
"What? Strange... Usually this works." He shuffled the cards, again, and drew from the top once more. "How about this one?"
King of diamonds.
"Nope."
"Really?" One more shuffle. "How about this one?"
Seven of clover.
"Wrong, again."
"I can't believe it. It must be this new deck of cards. They just can't get it right." Facilier scowled lightly, before tossing the cards behind him. They hit the window of the store behind him and all flutter to the ground. Except for one. You look closer at the card stuck to the window.
Five of diamond.
Your draw drops a little. Facilier casually peels off the card from the window and holds it out to you.
"How about this one, gorgeous?"
"How?" You asked, still confused on how that card of all cards stuck to the window. Was it even possible? He couldn't have put it there earlier, you were in view of the window the whole time.
"Little something called magic. Comes in handy from time to time." Facilier cracked his fingers and looked to you with a wide smile. "Now about that free reading..."
"... Fine, but it needs to be quick." You gave in. Facilier offered an arm and you took it, being led down the sidewalk.
Your relationship with the witch doctor was a strange one. You wouldn't say you were friends, just maybe acquaintances. You had first met when he had showed up at your newspaper stand a month ago.
You hadn't seen him before and when he opened his mouth, you knew he wasn't from around this town. When asked, he did admit that he was from out of town. He joked and said he just rose from the grave one day and found himself in your town. He soon became a regular at your newspaper shop, arriving every morning for a paper.
You learned over time that he dealed in "dark magic" and even opened up his own little parlor. People around the town said he cursed people, but you just believed it was rumors caused by superstition. The most this man had done with you at this point with magic was a coin trick or two. You just mostly talked with him.
You weren't sure exactly where he came from or why he decided to stay in town, but he was a nice customer to talk to and might you say, charismatic. So, to suddenly have him pulling you across town to your parlor, it was a bit of a surprise.
He turned you around the corner into an alley and upon sight, you knew exactly which door was his parlor. It was decorated with signs, torches, and wooden, voodoo figures. Dr. Facilier released you and walked over to the door, before turning back to face you.
"Now listen up, hun, and I'll tell you, what might lurk about and hide. You're in my world now, not your world and I got friends on the other side." Dr. Facilier grinned as an echo crossed the alleyway. You looked around to find that no one noticed you two and really you were alone in this situation. Was this really such a good idea? Facilier tapped the door and it creaked open by itself. He held a hand out to you and smiled. "Coming with me, little lady?"
You hesitated, before reaching out and taking his hand. He led you inside and spun you around to release you. The door slammed shut behind him and he slid over to his table with ease. You stood in the middle of the decked out room, admiring the variety of colors and decorations. This was no doubt a witch doctor's parlor.
"You ready to have your world turned upside down, gorgeous?" Facilier chuckled and suddenly a chair to the table slid out. You didn't move to sit, but in the end you didn't have to, the witch doctor gently shoved you into the sit. You looked to him flabbergasted as he sauntered over to the other side. "Sit down at my table, put your mind at ease. If you relax it will enable me to do anything I please. I can read your future, I can change it 'round some too. I look deep into your heart and soul..."
Facilier hopped up onto the table and spun around, tipping his hat to you.
"Make your wildest dreams come true! I got voodoo, I got hoodoo, I got things I haven't even tried, and I got friends on the other side." An echo sounded around the room, again, as Facilier slipped into his chair. He drew out a different pile of cards, flipping them through his fingers. "The cards, the cards, the cards will tell the past, the present and the future as well. The cards, the cards, just take three. Take a little trip into your future with me."
Facilier offered you the deck like earlier. You slowly drew out three cards, handing them back after he set the deck to his side. He shuffled the three cards, lying them down flat before looking back up to you with a grin.
"Girl, you're awfully brave, I have to say. You know, most would turn and run away. But here your are now, risking your life. In most cases, I would give girls like you to the count of five." He hovered his hands over the cards. "Now listen to me, gorgeous, I can guarantee, whatever I tell you, you can believe in me."
You looked to him strangely. Why was he trying so hard to assure you? Your thoughts diminished as he flipped over the first card. It revealed a cartoony picture of you and your family. You were all dressed simply and sitting at the edge of a pond. You recalled visiting that pond often.
You smiled at the memory, but grew uncomfortable. How would Facilier know about that? You had never told him.
"You're life was always fine. You could've said you had it all." Facilier looked up at you. "Middle class, 'ey?"
"I mean, yeah, but I never minded. I had my family and good friends. What more could one ask for?" You smiled, shrugging a little.
"But for a man, you want to fall. And your pretty little head, thinks you're running out of time." Facilier flipped over the next card, present, and revealed a picture of you with a broken heart as the background. How did he know that, too? You hadn't told anyone about that. He flipped over the last card, future, and revealed a picture of a pair of hands holding each other, a purple ribbon is wrapped around them. "In your future, I see you take his hands. Yes, you finally found someone who would give you a chance."
Your heart leapt a little at his words. You didn't really believe in this reading stuff, but hearing it out loud... Maybe someone would finally give you a chance. And maybe... Maybe it would finally be Grady.
"Take my hands, ___. Won't you take a poor sinner's hands?" Facilier offered you his hands. You took a moment to noticed how long and thin his fingers were, before taking his hands once more. He chuckled lightly, again, before you felt a light weight appear in one of your hands. You drew it back to reveal a beaded necklace. "Wear that necklace and take the hand's of your lover, it will reveal if it was really meant to be. You can't just hold one hand though, you gotta hold both. Don't go giving this necklace away now, it only works for you."
You pulled back your other hand and looked over the beaded necklace. It looked like every bead was hand-carved. You put the necklace on, before looking back to the bokor.
"Thank you... Facilier." You looked to him gratefully, gently touching the necklace.
"It was a pleasure, Miss. ___. I wish you luck in your endeavor. You wouldn't mind me dropping in every now and then to see if your future has been unveiled, would you?" Facilier asked, gathering up the cards.
"Sure, though I'm sure you're busy during the day."
"I'll visit around this time then. That sound good?" He looked up to meet your eyes. You finally took notice of his violet irises, they reminded you of something, but you shook it off and smiled a little.
"Yeah, that sounds great. I'll see you tomorrow then." You stood from your chair and nodded in thanks.
"Anytime, gorgeous. If you ever want to come in for another reading, you know where I'm at." Facilier stood up, glanced down at you, before heading into his back room. You watched him go, before quickly heading out. It was a strange encounter, but admittedly you didn't mind it. It was kind of fun spending time with the voodoo man.
You touched the beaded necklace lightly, again, before heading out of the alleyway.
~
"So, what do you say, ___?" Linde, your friend, looked at you hopefully.
"I don't know. I'm not a huge party person." You admitted, handing back some change to a customer who gratefully took it and went on by.
"Oh, come on. It will be loads of fun, I promise!" Linde paused, before grinning a little. "A lot of people were invited, including you know who."
You felt your face heat up, as you looked up questionably.
"The one who's always making the big, lovesick eyes at you." She smiled, glad to have your attention.
"Oh my gosh... Grady's been looking at me that way?" You pressed your hands to the sides of your face and sighed. "He's gonna be there?"
"Huh? Grady? Sure he's gonna be there, but..." Linde trailed off and shook her head. "Never mind, you'll come if Grady is there? He goes to all the parties around here."
"I'll be there then." You tugged on your shirt collar. "But what do I wear? What do I say?"
"I got you covered."