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Rosie dances.
She loves to dance. She danced in life, and she dances in death. No matter how old she gets, partner or no, she will dance until her soul is snuffed out. Stepping lightly over the linoleum, in her flats because good dance shoes from her era were hard to find, she stretches in the process. Tilt head one way, press lightly with her hand, and then tilt the other and repeat the process.
As she got older, with age, her body had started to break down and the only way she could keep up with the younger crowd was by taking care of herself. She’d outdanced youngsters well in their prime, and she knew the formula to keep doing so in death. Dance.
Dance. Dance. Dance .
She stretches her calves, rolls her shoulders, and then, carefully, so carefully because it’s been some time since she did a proper stretch, works on loosening her back muscles. Move like she would when dancing, static stretch, and then move some more. She slowly repeated the process until she was warm and she could bend in any direction without her back killing her.
The dance hall of Cannibal Town was deserted at this time of day. The dark has descended and she’s left to do her dancing without judgement. She mostly knows partner dances, but it’s nice to just move and flow as the music sinks into her bones.
She starts slow. A slow waltz without a partner, and then a faster waltz, and then a fox trot, and then faster and faster and faster until she’s practically flying across the floor while moving to the beat. She loves dancing, and she dances with everything in her being.
“Dance for me, dance for me, dance for me, oh I’ve never seen anybody to the things you do before--”
She doesn’t know “dances”. She doesn’t do things formally. She just moves .
Her music shuts off.
She freezes. She spins on a foot and breathes heavily to get the oxygen back in her body. The phone connected to the speaker system, which she kept updated without other cannibals knowing, is in Carmilla Carmine’s hands.
“I don’t think I’ve heard this song.” Carmilla puts the phone down and puts her hands behind her back. “But it’s loud enough to be heard outside the building.”
Rosie did install the best speakers. “Can I help you, Carm?”
They were friends, but Carmilla wasn’t expected until tomorrow. They had tea time on Thursdays, and a soiree was being put on next week to welcome a new overlord. Carmilla didn’t have a reason to be here. Not that Rosie didn’t WANT to see her friend, but this was her time. Her private time to just be Rosie with no expectations.
“Zestial wanted me to pick up some tea.” Her hands drop to her sides and she walks across the dance floor, her ballet shoes making slight tink-tink sounds. “Is the Emporium closed?”
“Been closed for an hour, Carm. Some of us want to have time outside work.” Rosie doesn’t like feeling unpresentable. She’s not in her Overlord clothes, and she doesn’t have her hat; she’s covered in sweat and she’s in the middle of a dance floor with no exits outside the one behind Carmilla. She swallows and works on getting her breathing back to normal.
Carmilla stops a few paces away from Rosie. “You work 8 to 6.”
Well, she doesn’t have to be like THAT.
“We close at 5 on Fridays.” Rosie finally feels like her lungs aren’t quite burning, so she walks past Carmilla towards the towel she has by her phone. “What kind of tea did Zestial want?”
“I can come back tomorrow. I’ll see you for tea?” It’s always hard to tell Carmilla’s emotions when she’s trying to hide them. She’s being careful right now. Keeping her words quiet, she walks back at Rosie’s pace. “I think I’ve only ever seen you dance with a partner.”
“Dancing is quite fun when you have a partner.” Rosie pats her face and then sees Carmilla once again standing a few paces away. They’ve been friends for long enough that Rosie can see the thoughts turning in her head. The careful way she’s holding herself is her way of assessing what to say next. Rosie has seen this time and time again. That’s what happens with longer friendships. “You don’t have to be a stranger, what’s on your mind?”
“You’re beautiful when you dance.” Rosie freezes as Carmilla smiles. “But perhaps I haven’t been looking closely enough before now.”
Oh.
Rosie clears her throat. “Thank you. That’s quite a compliment from Carmilla Carmine, one of the most beautiful people around. Dancing or not.”
Carmilla rolls her eyes, visibly, for Rosie’s benefit, and Rosie laughs. Carmilla gestures to the door. “Tea tomorrow?”
“Sure thing, Carm.” Rosie waves and throws the towel over her shoulder, then reaches for her phone. She’s done dancing for the day. She’ll shower and change into her normal clothes after this. “Maybe warn a gal next time you decide to visit? You know I like to be presentable.”
Rosie starts to slip out of the main dance hall but stops to see if Carmilla is going to respond. She doesn’t. Not verbally. She just nods. Right. There are some things Rosie knows will never change.
///
“Zestial!” Rosie is just closing up for the day when Zestial stoops to get in through the Emporium doors. “Dany already went home for the day, so I’m just closing up. What’d’ja need?”
He smiles. He’s such a talkative man, but he also likes to wait for his moment to shine. “Tea?”
Carmilla already picked up his tea yesterday, so Rosie isn’t quite sure what he means. Does he want to buy tea or drink tea? Well.
“Alrighty!” Rosie gestures to her back room. “Always good to have a friend over. I have a lovely darjeeling I’ve been meaning to try. You just have to experiment with me. You know I know a couple of tea traders who can get us a mean chamomile if you’re interested?”
“That sounds lovely.” Zestial nods and sits in his usual spot. She doesn’t let her eyes narrow at him where he can see, but he’s acting off. Her usually chatty friend hasn’t waxed in greeting or expounded upon the virtues of a good cup of tea. He didn’t even react to chamomile tea. He LOVES chamomile tea.
She is quick to make the tea and bring it back. He needs something, and he’s thinking of how to ask for it. If she knows her friend, she can bet it has to do with those darling daughters of his.
Well… They're not HIS daughters, but they’re his daughters.
She clears her throat and sets the teapot down on the table. She pours his cup and then her own before sitting in her usual chair. “Now, what can Auntie -- Well. I’m not your Auntie, and pretending otherwise is silly. Zestial. Zest. My friend. What is it? You’re not acting yourself.”
Rosie nods and almost smiles when his shoulders slump. Got ‘em.
He taps at his cup of tea and then sighs. “Tis true that I am in need of your assistance, dear Rosalyn. I have, perhaps, come across a problem of greater magnitude than first suspected.”
There we go. Rosie takes off her hat and sets it behind her on a shelf. This is friend talk. No need for Overlord politics right now. “Come on, come on. Lemon Lime, hit me.”
He chuckles at the old nickname and nods. “I have been asked for assistance.”
Rosie stares at him.
He sips his tea and nods.
“Zest.” She chooses her next words carefully. “That is not a lot to work from.”
“Ah!” With a smile and a wink, he reaches into his … something… and pulls out a nail kit. Simple. Basic nails and polishes. It’s definitely something bought to learn with rather than actually do nails.
Rosie paints hers black for a reason. Why would he-- Ah. “Which one?”
“Itsy.” If he were any other parent, she would say it’s a mutter. “Bitsy declared the act a folly.”
“She would.” Rosie leans forward and looks at the nail kit. She doesn’t even need to ask why he came to her. Carmila doesn’t do colorful or fancy. She does grounded and usable. That fits Odette to a ‘T’, but Clara likes to experiment. It’s good for a young adult to experiment. “This isn’t going to be good enough, Zest. We need to get an actual nail kit.”
He blinks at her. “Rosie.”
She waves a hand. “I sell ‘em. Daisy makes sure they’re up to snuff.” With a nod, she bounces out of her seat and strides towards her shelves. She’s not about to root around in the back for proper nail supplies. “Come on, Lemon Lime. If you want to learn nails, you can start by learning what real nail supplies look like.”
She hears rustles and skitters come from the shadows, and smiles. It’s good to see him get excited to learn for the girls. Children-- adult or not-- deserve loving adult figures in their lives. Or at least mentors. Zestial is good for both.
As they work through different types of polish, various applications, and styles he can try, she gets a little happier. He’s listening. He’s paying attention. He’s looking at everything she shows him and cares about what she’s saying.
“You’re doing a good job.” She says as she pulls the supplies they’ll be using and heads to the back. One of her old work tables will do since Zestial is sure to get nail polish everywhere. Her poor nails. Oh well, part of learning.
“A good job?” He sits with her and pokes at the supplies she’s placing down.
“A good job learning how to be a good dad.” With a nod, Rosie looks at the supplies with her hands on her hips. “They’re lucky they have you.” Something is making her brain itch. What is it-- She snaps. “Q-tips! I knew I forgot something.”
He stares at her.
“Q-tips are for cleaning the cuticle-- I’ll explain in a bit.” Q-tips are in-- She knows she sells them. She also has them. It’d be nice not to take more from her shelves, Dany’ll groan because they’d JUST reshelved.
When she comes back, he’s staring at the nail supplies. He blinks when he hears her footsteps and offers her a smile. “Might it be time for us to commence?”
She laughs. “Yup! Got ‘em from the bathroom so Dany wouldn’t pitch a fit in the mornin’. Don’t you worry, by tomorrow you’ll be a certified professional. What sort of friend would I be if I let a dad disappoint his daughter?”
Hearing the word ‘dad’ makes him smile wider.
///
The next Overlord meeting is boring. They’re always boring, but at least Rosie gets to stick around afterwards this time to enjoy her friends’ company.
“How’d nails go?” Rosie gets a glare from Carmilla as soon as she asks. She laughs. “Don’t be like that, Carm. It can’t have been that bad.”
Zestial chuckles. “T’was good fun.”
“My couch is ruined.” Carmilla sighs and sips her tea. “Clara did enjoy it. Odette actually ended up trying it herself.”
“Did she really?” Rosie bounces. That’s good for Odette. She could use more outlets of creativity outside of blueprint making. “What’d she think?”
“Never let me do that again.” Carmilla and Zestial say in sync, though the tone is vastly different between them.
Rosie laughs. “You both sound just like her.”
Carmilla snorts and speaks into her tea as she drinks. “He wishes.”
There’s a sparkle in Zestial’s eyes as he leans closer to Rosie and whispers. “I would say I know Bitsy quite well.”
“What did he say?” Carmilla puts her cup down and glares in his direction. “Influencing things?”
“I would never.” He leans back in his seat and gives Rosie a wink.
She has no idea what that’s about, but it’s nice to see them happy. She likes when they’re happy. “You two are such a good couple. It’s nice to see people bein’ good for each other.”
They stop whatever eyes they were giving each other to stare at her.
“What?” She blinks at them.
“Thank you.” Carmilla clears her throat. “That’s quite a compliment coming from you, Rosie. You are a valued person in our deaths.”
Rosie beams.
///
“Carm, I love you dearly, but what is that?” Rosie pinches between her eyes and looks at the blueprint. She hears a noise come from Carmilla, but when she turns to look, there’s nothing but Carm standing in her usual neutral stance. Rosie waves a hand at the thing on her drafting board. “What?”
“It’s an umbrella.”
“It’s a nightmare.”
They stare at each other. Rosie knows just how to break the silence. She tuts, “Oh, don’t pout. I’ll help.”
“I did not--” Carmilla stops talking and snaps her mouth closed. She glares. “Rosie.”
Rosie winks.
An umbrella for acid rainstorms is a good idea, just not…. Whatever this was.
///
Zestial drops off a book. She looks at it, looks at him, and then he tips his hat and leaves.
She’ll take the gift, but she’s not sure why he didn’t wait until teatime.
///
Carmilla has a single rose in her hand.
Rosie plucks it out of her hand and carefully tucks it behind Carmilla’s ear. “There ya go, pretty as a picture.”
“You look quite fetching as well, lovely color on the dress.” Carmilla untucks the rose and moves to tuck it into Rosie’s hair instead. “This was intended for you. I felt it would match.”
It is such a delightful red. Not quite what she grew in front of her house, but it is perfect for her dress. “You’re right! You could be a seamstress with your eye for color.”
“I simply can recognize red when I see it.” Carmila snorts. She’s almost done with whatever she’s doing to adjust the rose, surely.
“Carm.” Rosie huffs. “You got pretty eyes and can use ‘em. That’s a skill not everyone has.”
Carmilla freezes for a second, her hands brushing Rosie’s face as she pulls away. She stares.
“Carm?” Rosie goes to say something else, but Carmilla nods.
She leaves after a brief farewell, but Rosie feels like she’s missed something.
///
Zestial narrows his eyes at Rosie while she prepares tea. “Will thou be coming to the dance this evening?”
“You mean the soiree?” She raises an eyebrow as she slides into her seat. “Zest, you know I always come. It’s good for making connections. I’m the kind of gal that likes to have her hand in the cookie jar.”
He hums.
///
The soiree is, at best, a networking event. Rosie finds the newest Overlord, chats their ear off to see if they let slip some juicy tidbit, and then falls more into her natural self of observing and chatting only when chatted to. She doesn’t care about anyone else in this room. She’s already connected, has their numbers, and has given them advice.
Everyone here knows Rosie, and Rosie knows them.
“Might I have a dance?” Zestial always dances with Carmilla. Only Carmilla. Rosie raises an eyebrow but takes his hand. She loves dancing. She’ll never turn down a dance.
He makes dancing fun. Rosie’s had many leads, and she’ll have many more, but dancing with Zestial is like falling into the music. He spins her, moves with her, and she throws her head back and laughs when he makes a joke about putting the youngsters to shame. She’s always done that. When she looks back at him, he has a warm smile that makes her heartbeat a little quicker than it should for the kind of dancing they’re doing.
“Thou art a skillful dancer.” When he spins her off the dance floor, she ends up in Carmilla’s arms.
“Dance?” Carmilla raises a brow, and Rosie has never turned down a dance.
“Now, Carm, I know you’re one of the best dancers I’ve ever seen. Go slow for me.” Rosie winks and Carmilla seems… seems to blush? That can’t be right.
Oh, Carmilla tries to lead. But Rosie wants to see her move (she’s so very pretty when she dances), so Rosie switches up their hand positions and spins Carmilla out before she can say a thing. When she pulls Carmilla back in, her smile is vicious and wide. “Or should I go slow for you?”
A soiree hosted by Carmilla typically has music for traditional partner dances. There’s a waltz, a foxtrot, and then-- well, this song COULD be a foxtrot, but Rosie wants to see Carmilla move. Wants to do a fun and more modern dance. She pulls Carmilla in for some swing while her magic swirls around her to change her outfit into something better for kicking her legs and moving fast.
Poor Carmilla’s eyes go wide, but then she’s smiling and falling into the beat, and the dancers around them switch it up as well. It seems the modern overlords are happy to change it up. Rosie makes eye contact with one of the band members and raises an eyebrow.
They’ve seen her and Alastor dance.
With a wink, a song perfect for a fast-paced Lindy Hop comes on and Rosie starts to throw Carmilla around. She knows Carmilly knows Lindy. She knows she can go fast and loose and everything she asks for will be met as if it were a challenge. Carmilla is a Dancer with a capital D necessary, thank you, and Rosie so loves to dance with a Dancer.
This is a soiree, not a dance, but fuck it. Rosie wants to have fun .
Dancing is about asking permission and seeing what her partner is up for, but Carmilla seems to be up for anything. So. Rosie spins her, flips her, gets spun in return as they kick to the back beat and match each other perfectly. When they slow down, Rosie notices everyone has vacated the dance floor.
They were doing more of a show-stopper Lindy than the average person, but they were Overlords! It was in their nature.
At the end of the song, Rosie spins Carmilla off the dance floor and has to take a few seconds to catch her breath. Maybe more than a few seconds. Maybe a full minute. Carmilla is smiling, ear to ear, and if that’s not a rare look, Rosie doesn’t know what is.
“Magnificent.” Zestial nods as the sounds of skittering and rustling die down. He must have really enjoyed the show.
“Sorry, Zestial.” Rosie doesn’t call him Zest in front of other people. That’s their private nickname. “I don’t think I can do another dance.”
He chuckles.
///
The next time Rosie and Carmilla have tea time, Carmilla goes to say something and stops. She clears her throat, picks up Rosie’s hand, and rubs a thumb across the back of it. Rosie blinks.
“We should go dancing again.”
Rosie laughs. Rosie is always willing to dance with a Dancer.
///
“Girls!” Rosie steps into Carmilla’s house for dinner and waits for two seconds. She braces.
“Auntie!” Clara hits her in the midsection, and Rosie staggers for a second. Damn, they’re strong. “Did they ask you?”
Rosie blinks. “Did who ask me what?”
Without another word, Clara turns on a heel and shouts. “Mama! You said!”
Odette appears and offers Rosie a much more reasonable hug. “They were supposed to ask you months ago.”
“Ask me what?” Rosie mutters as Odette walks away. “What’s with this family and saying nothing important out loud?”
Carmilla and Zestial are in the kitchen. Clara is pointing at them with a finger while keeping one hand on her hip, but she stops the instant Rosie walks into the kitchen. Rosie raises an eyebrow.
“You look wonderful.” Clara grins at her. “Wouldn’t you say so Mama?”
“Must you--” Carmilla turns and then freezes when she sees Rosie. Rosie looks down. She didn’t go fancy, this was just a dinner amongst friends, but maybe she’d gone overboard. She just really liked her sundresses. “That’s quite fetching on you.”
“Why, thank you! You don’t look half bad yourself.” Rosie winks. Carmilla is in quite the outfit. Hair down, shoulders on display, and Rosie has to fight looking more than she should. She really is a beautiful woman. “What’s for dinner?”
“Enchiladas.” Zestial turns and pauses. He looks her up and down. “You look ravishing.”
Rosie opens and closes her mouth. She’s definitely blushing. Ravishing is quite the word to hear. She clears her throat. “Thank you! I’m getting all the compliments today.” She offers a laugh and a wave of her hand. “And what meat might be in our food?”
“Kangaroo.” Zestial waves a spatula in her direction. “The attempt was made to use your enticing spices, but perhaps you shall tell us if we succeeded.”
Cannibal? Meat? Rosie blinks. “I didn’t know you were cannibals.”
“They’re not.” Odette comes into the room and puts a bag down on the counter. She starts to pull groceries out of it. Hadn’t she just been here? Where did she get those? “We wanted to make our Auntie happy. You’re part of the family.”
Oh goodness, this is quite a bit of warmth and comfort being given to her. She smiles. “I’m honored.”
Clara snorts. “Auntie. We’ve called you Auntie for years.”
“I suppose you have!”
///
When she goes to leave, Zestial kisses the back of her hand, and she blushes so hard she feels warm.
///
Carmilla kisses her hand after tea time together. What’s happening?
Carmilla? Carmilla. Carmilla?! Yup, that’s her Carm.
///
“Zest. This is lovely, but you don’t have to get me gifts.” Rosie looks at the fabric and runs her thumbs across it. It’s gorgeous and smooth under her thumbs. She could do some lovely things with this. “Oh goodness, where did you even get this?”
“T’was reminded of thee when I glanced it in the shop window.” His voice is soft as he pulls a smaller gift out of his cloak. She takes it with a touch of hesitation. “A treat.”
The eyes of an up-and-comer who had been sniffing around the edge of Cannibal Town. She sucks in a breath. It’s so thoughtful and lovely.
She’ll have to make him something.
///
She hands him a new cloak embroidered with all things that are his family. Ballet slippers, angelic weapons, blueprints, sketching tools, anything and everything in a pattern that was easily written off as just embroidery.
He looks at it, then at her, then at it, and sighs.
“Will it not fit?” She mutters and grabs the end to gauge if she didn’t make it long enough.
“Tis a fine gift, I will wear it always.” He removes his old cloak and puts on the new one.
///
She bursts into the factory. “Carm!”
Carmilla’s head slams up and she looks at Rosie with wide eyes. “Rosie.”
“Gift!” Rosie drops a cloak much like Zestial’s, but this one has spiders and spider webs included and the colors suits Carmilla. “Bye!”
If Rosie was listening, she might have heard Carmilla give a small choking sound.
///
Rosie doesn’t know what they’re doing.
They’re doing something.
///
Zestial frowns. Zestial never frowns. “Were it up to me, you would have been asked already.”
“Asked what?” Rosie throws her hands up. “You two are up to something.”
“A bet. Of sorts.” He shrugs.
“Ah.” They are always betting on something. “And it involves me?”
“Verily.”
Rosie puts her head in her hands. “Lemon Lime. You two are going to drive me crazy.”
“What a joy it is to have an effect such as that.” He winks at her, and she’s going to throttle him.
He kisses the back of her hand on the way out. Rosie looks at Dany and gestures in his direction.
“You’re an idiot.” Is all Dany has to say.
///
She gets a letter expounding her virtues as a friend.
What is happening?
///
After an Overlord meeting, Rosie looks at them and narrows her eyes. They’re chatting quietly among themselves. She doesn’t mind her friends being up to things, but she would like not to be included in their bets.
///
Carmilla hands her a custom sewing kit that is made of angelic steel. Rosie makes a noise that she knows is downright ridiculous. “Oh, Carm. This is gorgeous! This will be so useful for those tougher fabrics.”
The ghost of a smile graces Carmilla’s face, and Rosie has to swallow. Damn it. She’s usually so good at suppressing … reactions. “I’m glad you like it.”
Rosie can’t help the little contented sigh that escapes her. She looks at Carmilla. “You’re a darling, you know that?” Carmilla starts to wave it off, but Rosie leans in. They’ve been so good to her as of late. Gifts and compliments, and Rosie likes to give as good as she gets. “Really. I’m lucky to have you as a friend. Intelligent, beautiful, and thoughtful? How could a gal do better?”
She hums and turns. “Gotta try this out. See you tomorrow for tea, Carm.” Carmilla is still standing there when she turns around to give a wave. “Carm?”
“Have a good day.” She turns around and leaves.
What in the world?
///
Zestial sips his tea. He leans in, eyes sparkling. “How is the beautiful Rosalyn doing this eve?”
Rosie almost chokes on her tea. She blinks at him. “Why, I’m doing quite wonderful. How is the handsome Zestial doing?”
///
Another dinner at their place. Another time of Clara and Odette throwing their hands up at their parents. Then, because they’re smart girls and they know how to get Rosie alone, they pull Rosie aside.
“Rosie.” Oh, her actual name. This is quite serious. Rosie folds her hands in front of her and waits. Clara looks between her and the nearest doorway. Odette nods. “You’re from the 1800’s right?”
Rosie speaks slowly. “Well. I did live in that time period, yes.”
“Did they do polyamory back then?” Odette asks without hesitation.
“I--” They’re adults. She can answer honestly. “Well. Yes.” She had a threesome or two in her time, and knew of at least one trio that lived together. “Why?”
Clara and Odette share a look and say at the same time, “Would you date our parents?”
Her brain breaks. Carmilla is so pretty, and Zestial is charming, and they both care, and … oh. Oh goodness, they’ve been courting her. Gifts? Kisses on the back of the hand? She’s an idiot. They could have said! They could have -- Rosie slaps a hand to her face. “Why didn’t they just ask?”
“We don’t know!” They’re still saying things in sync. “They said they would months ago.”
Right.
Carmilla is so very pretty.
Rosie marches past the girls and into the kitchen. She puts her hands on her hips and narrows her eyes at the backs of her two idiots. Right, then. “Carmilla?”
“Yes, Rosie--” Her words are cut off by Rosie yanking her into a kiss. Rosie knows how to kiss. One hand ends up in Carmilla’s hair, one ends up on her hips pulling her close, and she meeps. Carmilla Carmine. Meeping. Melting into a kiss. Breathing heavily when Rosie pulls away.
“You’re an idiot. The answer is yes.”
Zestial laughs. He hiccups. He laughs more.
“You!” Rosie points a finger in his direction as Carmilla sways in place. “Lemon Lime. I expect better.”
“My love stated you may not be open to advances when there are three. She desired to ensure you were open to the prospect.” He waves a spatula in her direction and turns back to cooking. “My method would have resulted in a conclusion long ago.”
Rosie puts her hands on her hips. “My idiots.”
“Indeed.” Zestial pokes Carmilla with a fork. “Love. I do believe I won.”
Carmilla makes a noise, and Rosie gets to feel smug at being a good kisser.