Chapter Text
Damn, why did it have to be on a fucking Saturday?
Olivia knew the answer to the question as Candi had answered it when she first asked a week ago.
"Technically my birthday isn't until Monday but it was easier for everybody to get together on Saturday."
Olivia really didn't like 'everybody' right now. Saturday was her Candi day. Sure she'd still be with her all day, but it would be at her parents' house. At her birthday party. With the rest of her family. Which apparently consisted of her aunts and uncles, younger cousins, older cousins and their kids. Olivia did not know if she was ready for any of that in the slightest. She really wanted to say no. She really, really wanted to say no. But no way. She wasn't missing Candi's special day; not after she went beyond the pale for her less than a month ago. And she sure as shit wasn't forfeiting her time with Candi. So rather than grouse about it about she got dressed; customary jeans, her (mostly) black Pink P*ss* (their name was modal depending on who was asking) concert T she got when she first went to one of their concerts over 4 years ago, black hooded sweatshirt, and her now customary gray stocking cap. She could tell her hair was starting to come back nicely and it was just about time for her to go to the store and buy some dye. But she was still blonde and didn't trust the hood to cover it completely.
The plan was simple. Take the Tram at noon to Southeast station green where Candi would be waiting so they could walk to her place. Like almost every citizen of the city Olivia was no stranger to the Tram system so that part was easy enough. The crowds were hard, but what else was new. Olivia never liked that many people that close to her. Couldn't trust any of them. She kept one her in her pants pocket touching her wallet and keys at all times on the tram. But getting off the tram was the hard part. The station was busy and Candi no longer had a huge stalk of pink hair to separate her from the crowd. And given that Olivia's clothing and body language was design to avoid notice she wasn't sure how they would find each other.
"OLIVIA!"
It took her a second to remember that was her name now. And another second to realize somebody was yelling it.
"OLIVIA WHERE ARE YOU!"
It was Candi alright. Yelling her name out like a goober. That was absolutely something she would have done in her magical girl years if she ever felt the need to do so. She followed the sound right to her.
"OLIVIA!" Candi ran up as if to hug her then balked, realizing that Olivia might not yet be comfortable with public displays of affection. Olivia really, really wanted that hug but no, not around this many people, people staring at them because of the commotion Candi made.
"Candi, hi." Olivia was starting to feel self-conscious, like people are looking at her because of the crazy girl yelling at the top of her lungs that was yelling her name. But then she saw Candi's sweater. It was knitted, pink and fuzzy with purple letters rendered in shiny purple plastic reading "BIRTHDAY GIRL". Olivia did not know how exactly to react to it. "sooo...ummm...it's your birthday isn't it?" she said, not breaking eye contact with the sweater.
"Oh this? It's a fun birthday tradition." Olivia knew Candi's definition of 'fun' differed from hers and just decided to roll with it. "My nana makes them. My mom and dad have their own they wear on their birthdays."
It sounded horrible to Olivia. But also maybe just a little, just a tiny bit cozy. Just a happy family having a big lame tradition together; a nana who knits dumb sweaters.
"Horrible" Olivia repeated in her mind, trying to derail the mental train before it left the station.
"So your family has a yard?" Olivia asked. There weren't many yards in the city; too many developments, too little space. But they weren't unheard of either.
"Oh yeah he needed one for the vats."
"Vats?"
"Where the soda is brewed and stashed before bottling. He set up a mini warehouse in the back to keep them warm in the winter."
"He has a whole warehouse in his yard? How rich are you?"
"Not really much at all. It was part of a small business initiative grant from the city. People love the soda, dad needed to expand the operation from the basement but wanted to keep the business on-site."
"Hell of a hustle."
"Best business decision he ever made according to my mom."
"So he's 'Pops' but you call him dad?" Olivia noticed this idiosyncrasy and had to bring it up.
"Yup, he's 'dad' to me. And only me. It's just the way it is."
"Maybe one day I can call him dad" the thought intruded in Olivia's mind but left just as quickly. With that hope disposed of she continued the conversation.
"Having a fun birthday so far?"
"My birthday is always fun. I love catching up with my family. That having been said I'm glad to have somebody my age there this year. All my cousins are young and my aunts and uncles are old." Candi dragged out the sentence until they were well and away from the tram station, then grabbed Olivia's arm and rested her head on her shoulder. "Thanks for coming Olivia. Will you be ok?"
"I don't know."
"I'll be fine."
The chat continued until they reached Candi's home.
In the backyard was a similar scene from Olivia's own birthday party but on a much larger scale; with Candi and Olivia accounted for there were slightly over 20 people, almost half of them being children. Olivia did not have much of a chance to soak the scene in before her view was obscured by a spherical mustached man with short curly hair. The man seemed familiar to her but in a very subtle way. She's seen him...somewhere...in a store.
"Angel Baby Princess!" The man threw his arms out for a hug which Candi jumped into. "Happy birthday." Once the man released his death grip on his daughter his eyes affixed themselves on Olivia. "Oh my, it's good to finally meet you Olivia." Suddenly Olivia had a revelation.
"YOU'RE POPS!" Olivia pretty much figured this man was Candi's father, the eponymous 'Pops' from the soda company but Olivia suddenly remembered where she saw him before. His cartoon likeness graced every bottle of his soda. Olivia never stopped to think that the soda's mascot was actually a caricature of the man himself.
"I sure am. And you're Power Weapon."
"Was. I guess." Olivia didn't particularly like being called by her magical girl title but since they were exchanging nicknames here she decided to let it pass. "So everybody but your daughter calls you 'Pops' huh?"
"Oh yeah. I was called Pops before Candice was even born. When she was I decided to make sure she called me dad so she'd know she was special and she had something special to call me."
That sounds nice. Another thought Olivia tried to quickly purge from her brain.
"That's sweet."
"Anyway, it's super nice to meet you miss. You saved my daughter in more ways than you know and I wish we could have met sooner."
"I...wasn't ready." Olivia said without realizing she said it.
"Oh. Well I hope you're ready now." Pops paused for a moment, giving Olivia time to look around. To her shock Candi was walking back to her, juggling several things. Olivia didn't even see her leave.
"Aw jeez darlin' why didn't you get mom to help you with this?" Pops said as he took 2 plates worth of cake from Candice, freeing her to lay out the blanket she had pinned to her chest.
"She's gabbin' with Aunt Debbie. I didn't want to bother her. It's no big deal, really." Candi said as she took the plates back from her dad and put them on the blanket. She then pulled two bottles of soda out of her pockets, Creamsickle for Olivia and Cotton Candy for her.
"Ok sweetheart, I'm gonna go leave you two alone now. Have fun but don't be a stranger." the man known as 'pops' bent over to kiss his daughter, now sitting on the ground then grunted and cracked as he stood up again.
With everything situated and her dad gone Candi focused her attention on Olivia. "I got us a little picnic alcove here because I figured you didn't really want to get into the mix." she was right. The place where they were now was close to where they came in while most of the people were congregating closer to the makeshift 'warehouse' that took up half the yard. There was over 10 feet between them and the closest person. "There's dogs and burgers on the grill. Nothing fancy; we're bakers and soda makers, not grillers or cooks. Just tell me what you want and I'll go get it."
Olivia really wanted to tell Candi she could do it herself but the people. Even more than the people, the kids. There were so many and they were doing...kid things. Something about it bothered Olivia. Not even bothered, the feeling was something else. Something more like distress. She did her best to try to drown them out and focus on Candi.
"Thanks." She said, hoping she'd fill up on cake. Luckily she was a light eater.
"Sorry, no tarts today. They always keep me away from the kitchen on my birthday." Olivia tried to contain her disappointment as Candi did an impression of her father. "'You can't cater your own birthday party love'. I don't see why not."
The conversation would go on like that, mostly Candi talking and Olivia listening. Eventually the din of the party settled in the back of Olivia's mind where it belonged and the ambient nerves that came with this situation started to calm down. It was nice. Just a mostly normal day with Candi.
Then she went to get herself a burger.
Olivia could see it from her vantage. First one party goer wanted her attention, then another. Candi clearly tried to break away but ultimately this is what her dad meant by 'don't be a stranger'. They were all ultimately here for her. They didn't want her to spend all her time on the sidelines. Olivia could see Candi hold up her hands to momentarily hold them at bay while she made your way back to Olivia.
"Sorry Olivia, I think I gotta go mingle with the family. They're feeling left out. Are you gonna be ok here?"
"I'll be fine." Olivia didn't know if this was true or not but answering otherwise would be selfish.
"I'll try to be quick about it. But the kids want to play and you know kids."
Olivia knew the question was rhetorical but still didn't quite know how to answer.
"Oh...oh yeah sure." Was all she could stammer out. Before anybody could say anything else another woman made their way to their alcove. She had frizzy brown hair, coke-bottle glasses and was wearing a loose-fitting all blue sweatshirt and long skirt ensemble. She looked to be about Pops' age.
"Come on Candi you can't spend all day on the sidelines."
"Ok mom, I'm coming I just came to tell Olivia what's up." Candi's voice sounded just the slightest bit exasperated. Then she then did something unexpected; she bent over and kissed Olivia flesh on the lips. They had done this plenty since the first kiss back at Olivia's own birthday but this one lingered. Long. Too long. There was warmth. But this was something else. Something not right. Then Candi spoke again.
"I'll see you in a bit." Her voice sounded almost sultry. Then she left, leaving Olivia what the heck just happened. The kiss was nice, very nice. But she did it with a bunch of people around. She didn't even hug her at the tram station. Olivia felt exposed. She quickly scanned the yard to see who was staring at her. She thought she caught some bewildered eyes before looking again to see only one; a child, mouth agape. It was one too many for Olivia.
"Shit." Olivia was mortified. Somebody saw them kiss. Many people saw them kiss. They know now. They know they're together. Olivia did not know why this was bothering her but it was. She wasn't ashamed of Candi at all. She didn't understand why Candi wasn't ashamed of her but she wasn't ashamed of Candi. Why did she feel naked all of a sudden. Were they judging her? Were they deciding whether the outsider was worthy of their precious birthday girl. She was making too much of this. She was making way too much of this. She had to tell herself to calm down. Why did she do it? She always went out of her way to respect her personal space but that...that was not it. Like she completely forgot. What made her so desperate to kiss her in that exact moment in front of her mother and her entire family. She decided to try to focus her thoughts on...anything else rather than fixate on that. She decided to go people watching and pay a closer look at the party goers and guess how they were related to Candi.
Ok, she looks pretty old. Grandmother. But which side? She looks more like her mother than her father. I wonder if she knit that ridiculous sweater. So she's talking to an adult. A man. Maybe her son. Maybe one of Candi's Uncles? Presumably by birth though I guess that could just be her son-in-law. Guy at the grill. Uncle. No wait he's pretty young. One of her older cousins maybe? No wait Candi said all her cousins were younger than her. The kids? They all have to be cousins. The oldest one can't be older than 12. Wait, first cousins or second cousins? Presumably the second cousins are the littlest. Aww, Candi's playing with them. For an unknown reason the boil of ill-ease started to fester in Olivia's guts again. But she continued on. What are they even playing? House? is that what playing house is? Fuck I don't even know. Fuck if I've ever done it. Fuck, what is that noise they're making. Giggling? What's so fucking funny. Shit they're so tiny and stupid and what the fuck are they even doing? Why are they so goddamn happy? They're just running around like fucking idiots. The boil in Olivia's gut became cancerous. Wait, what's that one tugging on Candi's sweater for? Wait, that's the one that was staring at us. Where do you fucking get off pointing at me you nosy little shit. Olivia's tension was at a boiling point. She couldn't stay here. She had to get away. She waited for a moment when Candi was looking away then absconded. She was gonna go home, she was gonna call Candi from home tonight and apologize for not sticking around. She'd understand. She knew the score.
By the time Olivia got to the front yard she realized there was a flaw in her plan.
I don't know the way back to the tram station from here.
Feeling stuck on top of everything else Olivia just sat on the front steps of the house and fumed. Today had completely gone to shit and she didn't even understand why. Her thoughts were a garbled mess of emotional nonsense. She wanted to run into the night. She wanted to go back to the party and slap that nosy kid stupid. But as she was cycling through her unreasonable options something more illuminating came to light;
Why?
Olivia didn't and couldn't understand. Why was any of this happening? What even happened? Candi went to play with her cousins and some kid pointing at her. The worst thing that actually happened to her today is Candi forgot to respect her space and kissed her. Space and privacy issues aside Olivia couldn't even believe she mad at Candi for kissing her. Why was she so mad at the kid? Because he didn't mind his own business? I mean sure but we did she care if he took notice of it? Why did the kids playing make her feel like crying and vomiting at the same time? Before she get into it she was distracted by a new voice.
"Thank goodness you didn't go far." It was Pops. "I really didn't want to comb the streets looking for you."
Olivia was confused "What? Why would you."
"Candi saw you were gone. Wanted to look for you herself but then her mother would have likely followed so she sent me. Just as well, I could use a break. Mind if I sit?" Olivia silently presented the rest of the stairs to him, making sure to give him enough room that they wouldn't touch.
"Not the social sort?" Pops asked, knowing full well the answer.
Olivia simply shook her head.
"That why we haven't seen you until today?"
Olivia wasn't really sure she wanted to answer that question.
"It's ok to not answer. I didn't mean to pry." There was a pause. "Candi told us a little of what was going on. She's told us a lot over the years."
"Really?"
"Oh yeah. She's always been a chatterbox and she didn't really have those rebellious teenage years so we were always close."
Olivia felt slightly mortified.
"So you probably know how shitty I was to her."
"She didn't bring that stuff up much...sometimes she did. But not often."Pops' voice was non-judgmental. Not that it really mattered to Olivia. The eye tide was starting to rise again.
"I'm so sorry Mr. Williams." Olivia said as she tried to choke back tears.
"Please Olivia call me Pops ok?" Pops reassured her. "You ain't gotta apologize to me. Or anybody but Candi. And given how clearly in love she is with you you've already done that. Or nothing you've said or done was severe enough to actually warrant one."
In love with her? This didn't completely come as a shock to Olivia but to hear somebody else say it so clearly.
"Olivia it's obvious you've been through some rough times. Candi told me but it's plain just looking at you. I haven't known you long but do you know what you remind me of?"
Olivia had an idea.
"An animal with a thorn in its paw?"
"You're good. Guessing Candi told Candi and I always were on the same wavelength. She's a daddy's girl to the bone that one." Pops took a moment to think "Don't tell her I told you that."
Olivia managed a small grin. "I won't."
"I'm rambling a bit but what I mean to say is...don't be a stranger ok? I don't want to wait another 5 years before seeing you again."
Olivia was again blown away. Why does everybody who should hate her...not?
"Why?"
"Well for starters you're my perfect angel princess's favorite person...even more so than her dear old dad. I'd like to get to know you better." Olivia could almost feel herself blush at this remark. "And um...I feel like I really owe you?"
"Because I kept her safe at night?"
"Yeah...and during the day."
Olivia had no idea what this man was going on about.
"Do you remember the interview? The one with Daylight Update?"
Of course Olivia remembered the interview with Daylight Update. Her one time on TV. The interview made sure of that.
"Yeah, I was kind of an ass." Olivia understated. She knew the interview full well. It was the morning an underground magical girl legend was born, and the morning when it was decided she'd never get to be on TV again.
Olivia remembered. Backstage before the show the producer went over the questions the host was going to ask and Olivia was very clear that she would not be accepting any questions about her past. Then out of left field she asked about her parents. Then when Olivia told her it was none of her business she decided to dig deeper.
"You cut your arm on TV and tried to shove it in the host's face while screaming 'why don't you just literally suck my blood you fucking parasite.'"Pop chuckled at the memory, rendering Olivia absolutely gobstuck. After gathering her wits she spoke.
"It...didn't take me much to set me off back then. I guess I ruined Candi's chance at fame. I have no idea how she could ever forgive me."
"But that's what I want to thank you for. That interview terrified me. I was scared Olivia. Scared the fame monster was about to eat my little girl. The magical girl entertainment mill just takes girls like Candi, grinds them up and spits them out. And sometimes the girls...they get a real taste for it. That's the worst part. They become shallow and greedy. Self-righteous and detached. Utterly high on their own farts Olivia. It's sickening." Olivia was starting to like Pops more by the second. "I was scared for my little girl. That she'd be completely hollowed out and she wouldn't be my little girl anymore. Just some flavor of the month celebrity. Chewed up like gum and spit out when she got dull to them. You though, you set their hair on fire kid. You threw their soulless bullshit straight back at them. Candi was pretty sad though I won't lie. She had gotten on the hype train a bit. But then that happened. It was harsh, but she was spared. The only thing I worried about was that she'd decided to separate from you and try to get famous as a solo act. When she started laughing about the incident a week later I knew, not only would the fame monster never touch my darling, but that she was in love."
"Even then. That was 4 years ago now."
"Even then." Pops got up with grunts and cracks. "Anyway, it's probably presents time soon. I should be there for that. Stay strong Olivia, you're one of the real ones." With that Pops made his way back to the party.
"One of the real ones." He still doesn't get it." Olivia thought as she stood up as well. Candi was probably freaking out over both her and her dad having been gone. Especially since her dad was supposed to have brought her back. Despite him 'not getting it' she couldn't help but like Candi's father. unlike Mama Alvarez, who was a font of mom energy Pops felt more grounded and relatable. Even a little bit flawed. His distrust of stuff like publicity, agencies and the other trappings of the business of being a magical seemed a little extreme, even to her.
"Oh, definitely don't tell Candi I said that." Pops popped back around the corner before making his way back to the party.
When Olivia got back to the party Candi was in the midst of unwrapping her gifts. Many of them were cards. There was also a lot of culinary equipment and some clothes to be had. Olivia contented herself to stay back several feet then put her hands in her pockets. And felt something that shouldn't be there.
Shit, my gift.
Taken aback from the crowd Olivia realized that she didn't give Candi her gift. Or even showed it to her. For all Candi knew Olivia didn't even give her a gift. That wouldn't do. No way. Olivia decided that crowd be damned she was getting her gift to Candi. Some awkward 'excuse me''s later she was in the front of the gathering, Candi just a few feet away from her. She was just about to give Candi her gift when she realized something else...her gift to Candi was nobody else's business.
While she was pondering this, she was ambushed by a hug.
"Olivia, you're back!" That hug really made Olivia feel like the center of attention again. Why was Candi being like this?
"Hey Candi...um...sorry I bailed. I have your gift but I'll give it to you later ok." Olivia spoke at a near whisper. If people started pressuring her to give Candi her gift now she would have flipped out at them.
"Ok." Candi whispered back.
With that Olivia went back to the periphery and let Candi finish being the center of attention. After presents were opened parents started taking their kids home. Something about the scene chilled Olivia to the bone but she was relieved they were gone. After that the remaining grown-ups congregated amongst themselves mostly leaving Candi alone. With that she made her way back to Olivia.
"Where did you go?"
"Just out front. I just couldn't deal."
"Why?"
"I don't even know." Actually she did know...part of it. "Why the PDAs? I mean I love hugging and kissing you but your family's eyes...were all over me."
Candi went into apology overload. "Oh no I'm so sorry. I'm so, so, sorry. I don't even know if I was thinking or what I was thinking..." Candi thought about it. "I think maybe I wasn't thinking because I wanted to show you off. Let my family know you know? I'm so proud and so lucky and so happy to have you and I wanted to share my love. But I wasn't thinking about you like I should have been. I'm so, so sorry."
Olivia wasn't really that mad at Candi. She made a mistake. She failed to perfectly manage her emotions. How could she judge that harshly? Except...
"But only your mom was there when you kissed me."
Candi's pupils narrowed into slits. Olivia caught her in something.