Chapter Text
This was scary….But in a good way? He couldn’t quite find a word for it. Even with all the books he had read he just could not truly speak words for all the emotions a body can feel. He could only do that. Feel.
He was going to his daughter’s school for a special event. There was a little get together for parents to come and share breakfast with their kids. Spend the day with them and see how they spend the time there. In person look of their classes and what makes Monster High so special. Truly something worth wild.
But…..He is still a man with a anxious history of interacting with people haunted him. Maybe it will be different. Other monsters, not humans. Maybe….
“I can’t wait to show you all my friends!” His daughter cheered, as she was unable to stop sparking in excitement. Good thing he always kept extra bolts on hand. She can burn them out pretty fast, but they also helped her regulate. A small price to pay to make her have endless joy over endless misery.
“I am excited as well, little angel.” He agreed, as she happily held his hand and swung their arms together. She had pride in calling him father. She was happy to say she was his daughter. That was something he never really experienced with Victor.
Thank God she never had to experience it with him.
“Maybe you’ll make some friends like me! Friends with the other parents! I gotta warn you, Cleo’s father is uh. He’s special….But I have a feeling you and Deuces mom will get along!” She was just so excited. Wore her favorite outfit and even dolled him up a bit. Pulled his hair back, gave him some eyeliner, make him very ‘slay’ as she says. Back in his day that meant something else.
Did he look good…..?
He felt he was rather under dressed. He has seen pictures of her and her friends. They were glammed up all the time. Was what he was wearing decent-? It was a plain white blouse with bellowing trumpet sleeves. Simple black pants and over the knee boots. The only ‘flavor’ he had was the fur coat tied off on his hips. He felt so….Naked. He’s been naked and that somehow felt more covered. Not even jewelry, if ignoring the flower studs in his ear lobes.
“You ok, Dad?”
“Yes, little angel. Suppose I just worry about how everyone will see you when seeing me…….”
“They’ll think I’m even cooler!” She bragged, before hugging her fathers arm tightly. Her mismatched eyes just looked up at him with unapologetic love towards him. She was so happy. He made her happy. He was able to make her happy and be proud of who she was. Be confident. Unafraid of the world. Love the world like he loved it.
He brought her into this world because he wanted her here.
And here she was happy.
“Alright….”
“Dadddddd-! You worry so much!” She whined, with her tongue sticking out. “You’ll be fine. I can’t wait for you to meet my friends!” She would keep beaming, as they finally walked through the gates of Monster High.
Was giving him flash backs of back in England….Was just waiting for the snow and wedding bells…..
“FRANKIEEEEE!!!!” A shrill voice nearly screeched. A pink vampire under a large umbrella was sprinting towards the ghoul. Frankie met her half way and they collided and Joy. Frankie hoisted her into the air and made her friend laugh at her strength.
Laughter….not horror.
“Oh my Ghoul! Is that your dad?”
“Yep!”
She set her down, and the tiny vampire skittered over to meet him. Big pink eyes looked up in fascination at him. It….Reminded him of someone….
“Hello! My name is Draculura! Daughter of Dracula! Have you and my father met before-?”
“I…..Do not know, actually….”
“Eh, I’ll ask him. Welcome to Monster High Mr. Stein! Come on! Let’s get inside before all the muffins are gone!” Her tiny hand wrapped around his finger and guided him to join. Frankie also waved her father to follow, and so he did.
He followed the two girls inside and it was like a drop in the ocean. The monsters around hardly registered him at all. He was just as much a color in the rainbow as anyone else. Even if his attire was very modest.
There was much noise in the cafeteria, but it was welcomed noise. Seeing monsters sit together and laugh. Parents meeting girlfriends and boyfriends. It was all so sweet.
Now was his turn.
“Frankie! Over here! We saved you a seat!” A woman with bright blonde hair and a fishy blue skin would wave over. Dragged he would be, as the vampire closed the umbrella and joined.
“Ghouls, this is my dad! Adam Stein! Say hi! Dad, this is Lagoona, Cleo, Clawdeen, Ghoulia, and of course you already know Draculura!” She would hug Clawdeen and it was returned.
“Um…Uh….Hello-“ He nervously waved, and the girls waved back.
“Frankie, why didn’t you tell me your father was built like that-“ Cleo whispered in a cooe. That made electricity shoot through the mismatched girls hair, before hushing her quickly.
“Ew, stop no! That’s my dad!” Frankie gagged, as Cleo held no shame. Just went back to re-wrapping her bandages. Made sure she was wrapped tight so no limbs went flying like Frankie’s often did.
“Pleasure ta meet ya, Mr. S.” Lagoona would beam with her pearly sharp teeth. He would smile back before looking around at the crowded cafeteria. There were so many students and parents. Should he mingle? Does he stay close to his daughter? It was overwhelming.
But something made him change his mind.
He saw a woman across the way. Snakes coiled around her head in a pulled back style that held intricate curls. Her eyes were hidden behind thick shades and a elegant white dress was swirling around her body like a Lilly. Had this diamond cut out over her chest to reveal a flat landscape that was begging to be drawn upon. How the gold belt hugged her to make a impossible shape of a angle down into a vase.
It was all wrapped in green scales and a smile that seemed so familiar. He couldn’t help but stare. With a leather jacket over her shoulders, covered in patches he didn’t entirely understand, and endless gold that climbed her dangerous claws. She was divine. She was a drop of verdant in the world.
She was hypnotic.
She registered him.
“Dad, you are staring-“
“I know her.”
“What-?” Cleo puzzled, as Deuce would nudge his mother. Most likely telling her who the man staring at her was. Call it inspiration for her to come over and properly introduce herself.
“You must be Frankie’s father.” The woman spoke, with a thick Greek accent. She offered a hand to him, and he would snap from his daze to shake it. Polite, but firm. Somehow she was even more stunning upon closer look. To any one else she was uncanny and imperfect. Thick scales, teeth that were yellow and horrifying, face closer to a snake than woman, ribs exposed through the cut of the dress. She was as if a serpent who sucked the life out of a human, and slithered into their empty vessel. Stole someone’s skin, and it didn’t hang off properly.
She was horrifying.
She was….stunning.
“I….I know you…..”
“Oh?”
“Yes…..Yes, your face….Your face was a carving in my walls….”
“Pardon-?”
“Apologies. Let me clarify. Back when I was first created, in England, your face was carved into the wall I resided in. I remember it so distinctly. You were screaming…..”
“Ah! Sounds like something mortals would shape me to be. Please, my name is Medusa.” She would relax in knowing what he meant now. Same for Frankie. She understood her dad was a little weird, but can you blame him?
“Adam. Adam Frankenstein.”
“Adam….How….biblical.”
“My….Creator had a complex-“
Medusa gave a light laugh that sounded more like hissing. He liked it. He liked it a lot.
“Look at that! You made a friend-!” Frankie would hug her fathers leg, looking just proud. He had to chuckle at her joy before gently petting her head. Didn’t want to mess up her hair after all. It already gets so messy from static alone.
“Yes yes. Your father has made a friend.” That was nice. Were they friends now? He didn’t want to push it-
“Same with you, mom.” Deuce joked as well. Didn’t need to see through the glasses to tell she was rolling her eyes. Seems she was in the same boat with having issue making friends.
Now neither had to have that problem.
“Oh, have you grabbed a muffin yet?”
“Hm? No. I just arrived.”
“Deuce, sweetie, hold my purse for me. I’ll go see if any is left for you-“
Deuce would now hold a purse that seemed to wiggle all on its own. It was probably safer that someone held the thing. The circular bag with its eye that seemed to stare. Certainly had Adam curious on why it was alive. Was the purse itself alive? Curious and curiouser.
“Mom seems to like you. She is not a social person. She’s….Got a shakey history. Guess that’s where Frankie gets it from.” Deuce would admit, as he held the purse tight in his hands. Keep it from trying to run off from him.
“We may be made from different parts, but there is no doubt about it!” She proudly said, as he kept a gentle hand to her head. Soft and tender. Forever and always.
“Actually, that raises a question. If you don’t mind me asking, Mr. Stein-“ Clawdeen began, as she filed her nails. “You have a white strip in your hair and she has multiple. Was that on purpose?”
“Oh, actually not at all!” Oh he was happy to talk about how he created his daughter.
“I had found a fully intact scalp, and it was strictly raven black hair. It seems when being struck with lighting it causes this bleaching. Much like it had for me, it has for her.” He explained, as he was gentle with her scalp. White strips right at the roots. Just like his striking white against his many shades of browns, dirty blondes, and hidden reds with blacks.
“Guess it’s kinda like you did inherit something from him.” Clawdeen would point out.
That touched him. It really did.
“Yes. Yes she has.” He would lean down and kissed her temple. She happily accepted it and pressed her cheek against his. Sparks flew off of her and seemed to have a natural movement to him. Spun itself around his hair and the old limes on his face. Swirled in a sparkle of blue before returning to herself, as if her very soul was hugging him.
“My word, practically only crumbs left-“ The Gorgon scoffed, before handing a blue berry muffin to him.
“Oh, I love blueberries.”
“Oh?”
“Yes. The first thing I ate when I was born was berries. Call it a soft spot.”
“Fruits are always divine. More of a rodent eater though-“
“Well you better not eat any of mine.”
She took it as a joke, but Frankie knew it was serious. He was serious about his mice.
Least the morning was going smoothly. Thank goodness. She couldn’t help but worry for her father. Despite being so much older the world had been very unkind to him. His social awanress never really had time to grow and bloom, compared to herself. She hoped him interacting with people just like him will fix it.
It helped her. Who says it can’t help him?