Work Text:
“Where is she?” Christina demands, swooping into the building and past the front desk. The storm outside rages on, causing the door to slam behind her. When she reaches the back of the store, where her family congregates, she folds her enormous umbrella, placing it beside a stool. There isn’t a drop on her.
“She left as soon as Tic opened his big mouth,” Leti responds, slapping his shoulder on her way to Christina. She had called her minutes earlier to warn her about the brooding hurricane her sister was likely bringing home. “She was in such a hurry, she left this.”
She hands Ruby’s coat to Christina. Christina takes it, brushing her hand over the garment. To think that Ruby was treading through the downpour without protection…
She turns to her cousin, eyes ablaze.
“I’m sorry! I thought she knew! You tell her everything,” Tic insists, sitting back and holding up his hands in defense. “How was I to know this would be the one time you didn’t?” He raises an inquisitive eyebrow at Christina.
“I was going to tell her,” she grumbles, rolling her eyes when he pierces his lips in disbelief.
She knew lending Tic the money for the bookstore would be an issue. Which is why she did plan on telling Ruby. But with the never-ending refurbishment of their family estate and, the birth of George, it had slipped her mind. How convenient, she could almost hear Ruby chide.
Christina exhales slowly, steadying herself before fixing her cousin with an irritated glare.
“Did you at least have the sense to ask her where she was going?”
Tic hesitates, scratching his head and looking at Leti.
“The store?” he proposes.
Christina stalks closer to him. Tic clutches the armrests of his chair. Leti just watches on, smirking. She knows her husband can be a real idiot sometimes, particularly where family matters are concerned.
“If you weren’t father to my only nephe-“ Christina whispers menacingly.
Tic swallows hard. He knows the threat is empty, but he squirms just the same. Thankfully, the child in question barrels into the room, saving the day. George sings Christina’s name in a nonsensical tune whilst dragging a wooden car behind him. He drops the rope attached to the toy as soon as he arrives at her feet, stretching his little arms up towards her.
“Hey you,” Christina greets with a wide-spread grin.
“Up! Up Chrissina,” he sings, his chubby fingers opening and closing until his request is met. She blows raspberries at him then lifts him into her arms.
“Magick?” he asks, holding the thin strands of her hair over his face.
“I’m sorry Georgie. Aunt Chrissina has to fix something else your dad may have broken. Can you show me what we learnt yesterday?”
His three-year-old face contorts in confusion until she whispers conspiratorially in his ear. He giggles then closes his eyes, brows crinkling in concentration.
“Damn it, Christina!” Tic berates when his chair disappears and he hits the hardwood floor with a loud thud.
George opens his eyes and claps excitedly at his triumph. The chair re-appears beside Christina, who is too busy congratulating George to care.
Leti laughs openly as Tic struggles to stand in his house slippers.
“You’re lucky that’s all she did,” Leti soothes, helping him up.
“I have to go,” Christina says to George. He pouts and turns to give his father a death glare.
Tic takes George from Christina and George immediately starts to palm his father’s cheeks.
“You better hope she doesn’t catch a cold after this,” Christina threatens before walking back out into the rain. She leaves her umbrella.
———
The downpour is so heavy that Ruby can barely see what’s in front of her. Not that it matters. She’s made this journey so many times that she’s running on autopilot. And sure, it would be easier if it weren’t raining cats and dogs and if she hadn’t forgotten her coat, but neither of these minor blunders matter in the face of Christina’s major one. She had, once again, given Leti a gift without consulting her. However indirectly. Ordinarily Ruby wouldn’t mind but Christina Braitwhite does not give lightly. Her idea of a small gift is a three-storey house with an elevator. It always seemed to be the case that Leti was the beneficiary of these small gifts, as with everything else. Ruby has had enough.
Her hair drips wet, her curled strands stick to her forehead and she can feel her toes swimming in her shoes. When she hears another muted honk behind her, she ignores it. Then, a familiar silver Rolls-Royce slows to drive alongside her. Ruby trudges on.
“Can I offer you a ride madam?” Christina calls from the inside, a hint of amusement in her tone. Ruby is in no mood for it.
“Don’t madam me. No, I don’t need a ride.”
“I think your ruined shoes and drenched clothes beg to differ,” Christina nods. She continues to cruise beside Ruby even as the woman neglects her presence.
Suddenly, Ruby loses her footing on a slippery pebble underneath her shoe. Christina hits the brakes sharply despite Ruby having recovered quickly to avoid a fall.
“Ruby, get in the car,” Christina demands.
She steps out into the rain, holding the door open. Christina grits her teeth as fat droplet splatter onto her hair and trickle down her face. Leti had suggested she wait for Ruby return but she did not want to risk Ruby getting hurt in the storm over something so trivial.
“We can talk about it when we get home.”
“And which home would that be?” Ruby snaps, shrugging Christina’s helping hand from her shoulders. “The crumpled heap in Ardham that we’ve hired a bunch of idiots to restore or, the one you bought for Leti?”
Christina drops the hand at the car door and they stare at one another, blinking away the specks that blur their vision.
“The one we have been staying in since the moment we met,” Christina finally responds. “Our home.” Her voice cracks a little, but she continues to level Ruby with her gaze.
Ruby folds her arms, attempting to hide the shiver growing within her. She really should have taken her coat. Christina moves towards her again but Ruby stops her with her another query.
“Why did you give Leti the invulnerability spell and not me?”
“Leti asked,” Christina says like it is the most obvious thing in the world yet, it does nothing to quell Ruby’s anxiety. “You never asked.”
Ruby turns, hellbent on walking when Christina grabs her forearm and pulls. She looks up at Christina’s puzzled expression then quickly averts her eyes. She knows Christina will search her own for a tell.
“You’ve never been shy about asking for what you want,” Christina sighs, her eyes flicking down to Ruby’s lips. “I assumed it was a spell you wanted to learn for yourself.”
She’s gazing at Ruby with gentle eyes and Ruby feels herself soften then, relax.
“I remember the first time I cast the spell. The euphoria I felt. It was electric,” she continues. “I didn’t want to take that experience from you.”
Christina’s cold, wet fingers find Ruby’s then tug slowly. Ruby lets herself be guided into the vehicle.
“Come on, let’s go back before we catch our deaths,” Christina insists, then says with a sly smile, “Leti said she’s baking your favourite pie.”
“That girl has never baked a day in her life,” Ruby pouts, settling into the warm seat.
“Then let’s get back before she burns down the house we bought for her.”