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The early morning rays shone on Coco, glinting into her shut eyes. She groaned, her arm reaching out to the space beside her, expecting the warm body of her wife, Agott.
Instead, she found the cool mattress and the indents from where her wife would lie. Her eyes flittered open, looking around the room for her presence. “Agott…?” She croaked, sitting up from the bed. She looked over to find Agott's prosthetic gone, which meant that the watchful eye had slipped away with the ease of a fox.
The witch padded through the atelier; the house was barely illuminated in the early morning light. The smell of erbe tea came through the air, Coco's heel turning straight to the kitchen.
True enough, Agott was standing in the kitchen, her back turned from the stairs. The sight made Coco smile fondly, and she snuck downstairs. Her feet were light against the cold stone floors.
Agott hummed, the smell of tea growing stronger to her satisfaction. She had two teacups ready, her hands on the erbe tea jar, carefully pouring over a green tea cup.
A pair of arms wrapped around her waist. “Coco!” The watchful eye squeaked, nearly dropping the jar.
The woman in question chuckled softly, her arms pulling her closer. “Happy birthday, Agott.” Her head nestled between the crook of the raven-haired — technically salt and pepper haired — witch's neck
Agott sighed her tilting the erbe jar down the table. “Thank you, love.” She leaned back against Coco, enjoying the peace.
It was silent save for the birds and winds that passed by outside the atelier.
“You left me in bed,” Coco grumbled weakly, her voice muffled in Agott's neck.
“I'm sorry, dear.” Agott laughed softly, her hands resting above Coco's own. “I wanted to make tea for the two of us.”
“Doesn't excuse it”
The watchful eye scoffed gently, “Of course it doesn't.” She slowly handed Coco her cup of tea. The green tea cup was a special one; Agott had made it to be consistently warm after one too many incidents of her wife leaving the drink out for the cold.
Coco gingerly accepted the tea, taking the tea in with a satisfied hum.
Agott, on the other hand, used this opportunity to slip free of her hold, turning to face the atelier’s master. Coco was wearing Agott’s own night robes over her nightgown, her glasses left behind on the nightstand.
And if she had to be honest, Coco looked utterly adorable in her clothes. “You are wearing my robes.”
“I made it,” The witch replied, catching Agott’s amused look.
She hummed idly, “So that means I could steal your cup?” Her hand came to Coco's face, reeling herself in to kiss her scarred cheek, a soft gasp escaping her wife's lips. “I did make it after all.”
Coco wore a faux-angry expression while Agott went to the stairs. “You wouldn't!”
“I could.” She walked around the kitchen with a fond smile gracing her lips, her eyes scanning the room for a quick breakfast. “You wouldn’t want to disappoint me on my birthday, will you?”
“Don’t play at me like this, Arklaum.” Her cup slowly reached her lips for a sip. “I’ve never used my birthday on you—”
“On your twenty-sixth birthday when I got sick.”
“That was for a good…” She pouted back at the raven-haired witch, then let out a begrudging sigh. “You win, for now.”
Despite the grumbling, her heart melted a little when she heard Agott’s weak chuckle while she flowed through the kitchen. Coco adjusted herself to lean on her elbow against the kitchen counter, watching Agott carefully. “So, birthday girl,” She began as Agott started the Pyreball spell. “Any plans for your birthday?”
The pyreball crackled softly between them, mixing in with the soft hum from Agott. “You know well that I don’t need anything but you,” she whispered while cracking an egg over the pan, the sizzling adding to the volume. “And the birthday cake our apprentices will make later today.”
“Of course, you’d say that.” She sighed, watching her wife cook at heaven knows what hour in the morning.
Agott shrugged while placing the cooked egg on a nearby plate. “It’s the truth.” She hummed softly, the sounds echoing in the kitchen. “I don’t have much to wish for.” The plate had some additional leftovers that Agott had recooked. “I have you, our apprentices, and our daughter; that’s enough for me.”
The platter of food, filled with food from scrambled eggs to their leftover pork, slid over to Coco. Even on her birthday, Agott still prioritised her. She stared at the food for a second longer when her eyes shot up; that was it! “Let’s go on a date!”
The kitchen fell into a pregnant pause, the watchful eye stiffening over the pan. “… Pardon?”
“Let me take you on a date,” Coco repeated, taking a bite of her food. “It’s been a long time since we went on one.”
“Because we have three apprentices to look after.” Agott shot back while putting her own food on the platter.
Sliverware clinked against plates, a fork piercing some of the eggs. “They’re teenagers now, Agott.”
The watchful eye groaned softly. “That’s exactly why, Coco.” Purple eyes finally glanced at green. “They’re teenagers, and we’re leaving them with our kid.”
“Then we’ll ask Tetia and Richeh to look after them.” She answered back matter-of-factly while eating her breakfast.
“Coco, I love them, you know that,” Agott hung her head to the side, breathing a sigh. “But do you really believe they wouldn’t be joining in on our apprentices’ mishaps?” Her fork clinked against the plate as she looked clearly back at her. “Is there anyone else we can call—”
“Tartah.”
“… Tetia and Richeh are okay, actually.”
Coco gagged on her food, coughing it out in between fits of laughter. “Really? Tartah didn’t even do anything to you.”
Agott’s hand was gently patting her wife’s back; she looked completely unamused by her wife. “I’m just saying…”
Above the stairs stood a smaller person, hiding behind the cobblestone half-wall, watching the married couple bicker on. After a clock mark, they scurried back to their room, doing their best to use the early-morning light to manoeuvre through the dark. The door creaked when they returned, catching their companion looking back at them, their brow arched.
“Ida, you are not going to believe this.” They said, their voice barely hiding the excitement.
“Mhm…?” She hummed back, pulling their lamp up to illuminate them both, slate blue eyes looking at chocolate brown. “What is it, Florian? Spit it out.”
“Master Coco and Master Agott are going on a date.”
“We’re having the atelier to ourselves?”
She shook her head, moving forward to sit on the carpeted floor of their work desks. “They’re going to ask Miss Tetia and Miss Richeh to watch us.”
Ida sighed against the carpet, “Of course they will.” She caught the determined glint in Florian’s eyes and hummed knowingly. “You look like you’re still planning something.”
“I am,” She proudly announced, raising her finger with the exact same energy that their master did. “I say we dress them up for their date.”
“Then, they’ll ease up on our studies!”
“Master Coco isn’t even the type of teacher to be strict with our…” The blue-eyed witchling looked away, a hand on their chin for their pondering. “I mean, I’m up for it.”
She looked back at her fellow apprentice, her index finger pointing at her, “But you have to tell Zemi about this.”
She smiled brightly; her eyes gleamed as if they struck gold. “You bet I will.” Her hand came up to her head in a faux-salute.
Lunch was filled with a ‘proper’ celebration of Agott’s birthday with a mariberry birthday cake they had baked just for their watchful eye. The witch in question leaned back against the wall while Coco went off to clean up their daughter and subsequently prepare for their date night.
She took a bite of the well-made cake, enjoying the peace she had grown to love.
“Psst, Master Agott!”
Agott paused, turning towards her apprentice who had taken to her feet. “What’s wrong, Florian?” The way she grinned at her made it all the more suspicious.
“Nothing, master!” Florian blurted, her hands on Agott’s arms. “But we heard you and Master Coco are going on a date.”
She raised her eyebrow and nodded slowly while she set her cake down on the table, a faint blush painting her cheeks. “That is… true, why—”
“That’s great! Come with me, master!”
She felt the pair of teenage arms pull her up with all her strength. “W-what, Florian, where are you taking me?” ‘Where are the other two?’ Agott thought to herself, her eyes looking around the kitchen for their presence.
“We’re going to dress you up, duh!” Florian replied matter-of-factly, dragging the atelier’s watchful eye towards her quarters. “Agotta give you the most handsome look for Master Coco!”
“Rian, that’s completely unnecessary— also, who taught you that?!”
“I assure you, I am absolutely fine the way I am.” Agott sighed in relief upon seeing the other two apprentices in the room. They had converted their workstations to accommodate clothes and other necessary items needed for their makeover.
While Florian had gone off to look over the wide array of clothes — that they definitely stole from Agott — from the shirts to the vests, Idaline gave the watchful eye a once-over and sighed wistfully. “If that’s ‘fine’, then I feel sorry for Master Coco…”
The raven-haired witch deflated, letting out a breath of exhaustion. “Was that necessary, Idaline?”
The witchling shrugged calmly, “I’m just saying, Master.”
“Here, try these on!” Florian, on the other hand, handed Agott a set of clothes she had handpicked.
The fabric felt smooth and expensive on her hands. “Alright, I’ll go ahead and put them on…” She paused, glancing over at her clothes, then the small stack of clothes to the side. “Are these my clothes?”
“Yep!”
“… You stole my clothes?”
“Yes, now get on with the changing.” The brown-eyed witchling looked up at Agott, her eyes shining with her trademarked puppy-dog eye stare. “Please?”
The annoying part about her wife’s first apprentice was that she was a natural at making the most convincing puppy-dog eyes even into her teenage years. She sighed begrudgingly and gently patted her hair. “Alright, I’ll go change.”
She smiled even brighter, shaking her fellow apprentice by the shoulders while Agott turned her heel for the door. Along the way out, she found the third apprentice accompanying her for a strange reason. “Zemi?” The watchful eye called out, the youngest of the three blinking up at her. “Where are you going?”
“To Master Coco.”
“Dressing her up, are you?” She mused, leaning on the wall while the witchling walked the other way.
“Yes,” Zemi called out, grinning back at Agott. “You can count on me, master; I will make her beautiful!”
Agott watched her disappear up the stairs, her lips curling into a smile. “She already is.” She whispers into the space.
“Is this all that necessary, girls?” Agott mumbles; she was seated on the floor of her apprentices’ workroom, her hands absentmindedly tying the purple cravat around her collar.
The two apprentices in question nodded eagerly; one was on her hair, wondering if it was possible to braid the white silverwood streak on her side with how short their watchful eye kept her hair these days. “Of course! We have to make you look your best!”
“That’s a nice thought, girls,” She side-eyed the two apprentices with a knowing amusement. “I know full well that you three just want to avoid studying today, don’t you?”
The room came to a halt, trapped in a pregnant pause as the two witchlings stared blankly at their watchful eye.
Finally, the mastermind behind this plot hung their head low against Agott’s side. “Please don’t tell Master Coco.” She pleaded
Agott snorted and gently rested her hand on Florian’s hair. “I won’t tell her a single thing about your exploits.” Her face turned stern as she pointed at the two apprentices. “If you three will swear to make up for your studies as soon as your teacher and I leave.”
“Yes, Master.”
She hummed in satisfaction, finishing the final knot in her cravat and smoothing down the finer, deep violet vest. “Good.” Her hand reached out for the wooden prosthetic leaning on the wall.
The witchling perked up and quickly handed it off to Agott, who slowly unrolled their slit pants to comfortably attach the wooden leg where her left foot would’ve been.
She slowly rose from where she sat and looked down at her outfit, then back at the apprentices. “I look okay, right?”
“Yeah,” Idaline replied, beckoning Agott out the door to go meet the rest. “Now come on, master, you have a date to go.”
Agott slowly slipped into the bedroom, holding a few boxes and pouches of gifts, some from Tetia and Richeh the minute they came to the atelier, and the other few from Qifrey and Olruggio that the two had picked up along the way.
Unlike the conversation buzzing between her two friends and her apprentices outside, the bedroom was much quieter, dimly lit in an intimate, fond manner.
The feeling of a small body wrapping around her leg made her start smiling. She peered down and cooed, placing her gifts on the bed in favour of scooping up her daughter in the air. “Hello, Andromache.” Her lungs made a half-laugh alongside little giggles.
“Hi, Mom!” Big gold eyes gleamed wide and bright at her. The little girl would’ve looked exactly like Coco if it weren’t for her inheriting her curls. “I missed you!”
Agott pressed a kiss against green curls. “I missed you too, dear.” Her hand reached for a pen and paper on the desk, quickly drawing a light spell of an owlcat for her daughter. “Was your nap good?”
The little girl giggled as she reached for the animal that kept moving out of her reach. “Mhm!”
“That’s good.” She murmured, adjusting her hold on her daughter. “Where is your mama?”
A pair of arms behind her wrapped around her waist once more, pulling Agott into her hold. Coco gently kissed Agott’s shoulder while she kept her gaze on the child. “Hello, handsome.” She drawled, looking over her ensemble. “You look sharp; the girls must’ve cleaned you well.”
“So they did.” She replied, turning over to hand over Andromache before she suddenly stood frozen when her eyes finally got to see Coco. The raven-haired witch went slack-jawed and red-faced at how breathtaking her wife was in that off-the-shoulder green-and-gold dress.
Coco smiled at Agott’s reaction, letting out little chuckles as her breath caught, while her hands adjusted her braids. “How do I look?”
“You look beautiful—”
“Mama’s a princess!”
The married couple blinked and turned their heads towards the four-year-old girl before sharing a soft laugh.
“Am I now, baby?” She murmured against the little girl, kissing chubby cheeks until she giggled.
Agott smiled at the two, absentmindedly taking in the sight of her daughter and wife with her heart fluttering beneath her content breath. Dates be damned, she could spend all night with her family. “You look beautiful.” She repeated, her voice but a whisper as if it were a secret between them.
Her words caught Coco’s attention; the atelier’s master smiled back at her watchful eye. She leaned upward with a soft hum. “Thank you, Aggie.” She whispered, her eyes watching Agott’s movements.
Agott leaned down, their foreheads touching. “Always, darling.” Their lips met in a soft, tender kiss; Coco’s free hand rested on the raven-haired witch’s shoulder, her thumb rubbing gentle circles.
“Ewwww!” Andromache cringed, pouting at the two women who pulled back from each other at that instant. “Ewww, mama and mom so icky!”
The pair laughed softly at their daughter’s disgust over their affection. Coco pressed a gentle kiss to green curls while Agott’s hands carefully smoothed down stubborn hairs.
“We’ll be out today; your aunts Tetia and Richeh will watch over you tonight,” Agott murmured to the little girl. “You should be good to them, alright? They’ll be dealing with your mama’s apprentices as well.”
Andromache huffed up air in her tiny chest, her eyes gleaming up at Agott with determination. “I will, Mom!”
Agott breathed a small affectionate hum as the pair stepped out of the door. As soon as the couple did, the sounds of squealing came as Tetia started bounding to them.
“Where’s my adorable niece?” Tetia called out, followed by Coco holding the little girl out to get taken into the pink-haired woman’s arms.
Andromache giggled as she was being held from Tetia’s excited embrace. “Auntie Tetia!” She squeaked, squirming under her hold. “You’re crushing me!”
Agott hummed, watching the way Coco chuckled at their friend and their daughter. While keeping an eye on the people in their atelier, Agott suddenly felt the warm kiss against silvery streaks of hair on her temple. Her eyes darted to the source, finding her wife smiling at her with the kindest smile there ever was.
“You look incredibly handsome.” Was all Coco whispered before joining the rest of the atelier’s residents and its guests for small talk.
Agott and Coco stepped through the windowway, which quickly shut itself behind them, not that the pair paid any attention, walking through the bustling streets of Kalhn, banners and decorations hung and placed.
“That’s right, Kalhn’s summer festival’s in full swing.” Coco mused, her arm looped around Agott; the green-haired witch was leading them both through the citizens of the city. Halfway through their walk, Coco suddenly turned around to face the watchful eye. “Your leg…” Her head jerked towards Agott’s wooden prosthetic. “It isn’t bothering you, right?”
Agott stared back at Coco, then followed her gaze down to her wooden leg. She let out a small hum before turning back to the witch. “Not at all, your creations never disappoint.” Her hand gently squeezed her wife’s soft flesh. “Even then, I would wear your inventions at every possible chance given to me.”
Gold eyes lit up as Coco could only smile sheepishly and bashfully hide her face, her free hand scratching her nape. “My, what a charmer you are.”
Amethyst twinkled back; Agott beamed at Coco as she resumed her lead towards their date night. “Only for you.”
Hours blurred in between the clinking of silverware against ceramic, or the glass they poured wine in. The married couple walked back towards the windowway, through the streets of Kalhn. Approaching the centre of the city, they could hear the jovial music and the dancing footwork of the people.
It was a wondrous sight; the city square was practically glowing while there lay stalls that offered food, trinkets, and games to celebrate the summer season.
Even when they weren’t approaching the stalls, they could smell its savoury scent, or the chant of the stall owners in their attempts to charm and call attention to their wares. “We should get something for the kids.” Coco eyed the nearby strawberry roast stall while Agott stopped and chuckled beside her; the watchful eye’s gaze went over the brightly coloured stalls.
“And I assume you just want an excuse to get something yourself?” she smirked, crossing her arms when her wife playfully bumped into her. Agott laughed, stumbling slightly while she turned to Coco. “Now there, I never told you that we couldn’t buy!”
Coco rolled her eyes, smiling at the raven-haired witch, her hand reaching out to her forearm. “C’mon then.” She whispered before carefully dragging them to the stall.
The music from the performers slowed; it was not like the slow waltzes from the rare performances of the great hall, but it was dancing music all the same. Agott halted, planting her feet onto the cobblestone ground; she grabbed onto Coco’s wrist, making the atelier’s master look back at her.
“Agott?”
“Dance with me?”
Coco paused, glancing between the dancers, the musicians, then back at her wife’s open, offering arms. A long minute passed before she let out a soft chuckle, “Always,” placing her hand over Agott’s shoulder, then she felt her warm arm around her back.
They took eachother’s free hands, and they danced.
Their feet led them through the city square; Agott could only watch how Coco smiled and revelled in their dance as if it were something sacred. She stopped and twirled the green-haired witch around, amethyst eyes twinkling when she heard her giggle before they went back to their close embrace.
Agott slowly led them to the nearby fountain right in the heart and gently kissed Coco’s temple. “Do you mind if I let go?” She whispered, her hand reaching for her coat’s inner pocket for a palm quire and her pen.
“Wait, you still brought your things?” Coco quirked up an eyebrow at the surprise; she chuckled at Agott, who was fiddling through the pages. Her wife’s arm was still wrapped around her back; a small, knowing smirk curled her lips. “Let me guess, you’re going to say, ‘A witch should always have their equipment with them.’”
“A witch should always have their equipment with them—” Agott paused and looked up at Coco, who turned her smirk to a wide grin. “How did you…” She shook her head and found the page she was looking for. “Never mind.” She quickly closed the circle, keeping her pen back into her coat and quickly interlocked hands with her wife.
The water from the fountain rose and formed birds and fish that whirled around the married witches and to the rest of the dancers. Coco’s eyes flashed in recognition while her feet danced with Agott’s own. Her head snapped towards Agott, who was smiling at her. “I…” She laughed sweetly, shaking her head. “Your magic never fails to amaze me.”
“As do yours.”
The people in the square could only stare in awe at the water constructs, children laughing widely, trying to chase them down. Yet Agott and her violet eyes were only trained on Coco, as the song came to its end, the watchful eye bent her knee, and dipped the teacher low, her braided green hair meeting gravity while she laughed freely. Agott’s heart squeezed at the sight; she could swear that Coco was glowing like an angel.
She slowly brought Coco back up to full height, smiling widely at her wife. “Thank you,” She whispered, wrapping another arm around her back. “This has been a wonderful birthday.”
Coco’s arms shifted to wrap around her shoulder; she slowly leaned in, their foreheads touching. “Anything for you.” They slowly leaned in, Agott preparing to meet Coco in the middle when the witch suddenly pulled back. “But we are getting food right—”
Agott affectionately rolled her eyes and quickly kissed Coco, hearing her squeak before melting into it. They slowly pulled back, a small contented breath leaving the watchful eye. “Yes, of course we’ll get food.”
They slowly and tiredly stepped into the windowway, Agott had her arm around Coco’s shoulder, her coat draped around her shoulders. In Coco’s hand was a bag that smelled savoury and delicious. The green-haired witch sleepily rested her head on the raven-haired’s own shoulder, her gold eyes scanning the room for any trace of her apprentices, her children, of Tetia and Richeh, only to find none of them. However, her eyes did catch the familiar purple wrapping on a nearby table.
“Agott?” She yawned, gold meeting purple in the dim but warm light.
The witch in question quickly looked back at Coco, eyebrow quirked. “Yes, darling?”
“D’you see that purple wrapping there?” Coco limply pointed towards it. “You mind gettin’ it before the kids come?”
“Oh,” Agott hummed, begrudgingly pulling her arm away from her wife as she walked towards it. “Certainly.” She reached for the purple gift with a green ribbon to match, feeling the soft material inside while returning to Coco’s side.
“Open it,” Coco whispered, her tired eyes glimmering with excitement.
Agott made a small smile as her hand pulled on one of the ribbon’s ends, revealing a soft black nightcoat. She unfolded it and found owlcats embroidered on the sides and suddenly snapped up at Coco with a warm look. “You…”
“Happy birthday, Aggie.” She smiled softly. “I made it myself.”
She glanced back down at the special nightcoat, breathing a soft, long huff. “Coco, I—”
“Master Coco, Master Agott!” A voice called out, snapping the two wide awake; they turned and found their three apprentices — and Andromache in Idaline’s arms calling out ‘Mama!’ and ‘Mom!’ — bounding towards them.
Coco smiled at them warmly as they got closer. “And why are you all still up?” She quizzed playfully and handed over the bag of food instead.
The four of them paused and looked away shyly. Florian — the mastermind of this entire thing — hummed awkwardly. “Well…”
Agott sighed affectionately and pointed at the bag of food. “We brought home some food for you.” She explained while folding the nightcoat back.
The apprentices made a collective cheer and started rushing to the kitchen with a quick, ‘ThankyouMasterCocoandMasterAgott!’
Coco laughed softly at their apprentices’ antics, the two lingering where they stood for a while longer. “We should go after them.” She mused, walking towards the kitchen.
“Agreed.” Agott huffed, following after her. “And find Tetia and Richeh while at it—” She suddenly bumped into Coco, who was standing still and shaking in the common room. Curious, Agott glanced over and found their two friends asleep on the floor and couch respectively. The watchful eye bit her lip to fight the amusement threatening to burst into laughter.
“Or that works.” Coco giggled, looking back at Agott, who was still trying to hold back her amusement. “How about we let them stay for breakfast?” She asked while carefully stepping over them.
Agott let out a huff of laughter as they reached the kitchen, the sounds of their apprentices talking and eating their food, even feeding some to their daughter. The two paused in the doorway, the watchful eye leaned to the side and slowly glanced at Coco. “I love you.” She whispered.
Coco blinked and glanced back at Agott. She smiled a small but warm, loving smile at the watchful eye. “I love you too.”