Circus Freaks

Chapter 14-Tired

You were sitting on the couch with Olive and Enoch. Enoch was reading, you and Olive were playing cards. "You know.." You began. "I found out the hard way my toaster is waterproof." Enoch began laughing, but Olive froze, staring at the door. When you looked over you saw Alma standing there glaring at you. "It was just a joke!" You said before she could register it as serious.

"That's not something to joke about." She said sternly then turned to leave. You sighed and stood up to go and follow her. She was already down the hall in the kitchen. She was standing by the sink, looking out the window over it. You walked up behind her and wrapped your arms around her waist. She briefly tensed before leaning back into you. "Hello birdie.."

"Hello bluebird." You smiled and hid your face in her shoulder. "I'm sorry about earlier. I really didn't mean it."

"It's alright. Just don't joke like that again."

"Understood."

"You two are adorable." You heard Olives voice in the doorway, but couldn't bring yourself to pull away from Alma to look at her.

"Go away." You said, closing your eyes instead opting to ignore her if she chose to stay.

"Just saying." She said before leaving.

Alma turned around in your arms, wrapping her own around you. "I need to go take care of the hollow, darling." You hummed and pulled away from her. She smiled at you, giving you a small kiss on the top of the head before leaving. You stood there shocked for a moment.

"What the fuck-" Was all you could say for a long minute. When you could bring yourself to move again you went upstairs to your room, not bothering to close the door, and laid facedown in the middle of your bed processing. At some point or other you'd fallen asleep. When you woke up it was dark out, your door had been shut and there was now a blanket over you.

You didn't even have to think about it for more than a second before coming to the conclusion that this was Alma's doing. You decided to go downstairs but found it was later than you thought. Everyone else was already asleep. Though you continued walking around in hopes of finding something to do.

You stoped mid-step and almost fell when you heard something. Humming. You crept closer to where you heard it coming from. The voice mostly hummed, but occasionally sang a few quiet phrases, that were much louder in the quiet of the home. Soon you reached the door to Alma's study, the door was a crack open and candlelight flickered inside. You peaked through the crack and found Alma humming and quietly singing to herself as she reorganized her bookshelf. Her hair was down, her jacket was off and her heels lay forgotten in the corner. She looked beautiful.

You knocked on the doorframe and the humming stopped. "Come in." She said quietly. You slipped in and closed the door fully behind you. "Oh, you're awake." She gave you a small smile before returning to her bookshelf. "Sleep well?"

"I did."

"It's rather late, you should probably get back to bed."

"Well then why are you awake?"

"Ymbrynes don't need much sleep." She said, placing a few books in a specific order, and pulling one out when she didn't like where it was placed.

"I am an ymbryne, Alma."

"Oh. Right." You laughed at her forgetfulness.

"So are you reorganizing?" She nodded. "Would you like any help?" Alma shook her head. "Mind if I keep you company?"

"Go for it." She waved you off, placing one book back on the self with a self satisfied smile. You both sat in a comfortable silence, not necessarily needing to talk. Until a stack of books she'd set on the floor toppled over and went everywhere. "Darn it, this really ruffles my feathers." She then looked at you and noticed the weird expression on your face. "What?"

"Please, just say fuck."

She gave you a strange look. "Now why on earth would I do that?" She asked as she knelt down to pick up the books. You got up and sat down on your knees beside her to help with picking them up. "Then I'd get into the habit, and might curse in front of the children. And I certainly do not want to be a bad influence or for them to think that that's okay."

"Bluebird, it's only you and me here, and I curse. But I've never done so in front of the children. It's called self control and I know you have plenty of it. You can let out a curse words every now and then when they're not around, I doubt you of all people will make that a habit." You said as you added the last of the fallen books to one of two piles.

"Shit." She said when one fell again. You grinned at her. She rolled her eyes but couldn't help but smile back.

—————

I'm too tired for this.