Hearthway Hollow

Faryan the Vampire

Male Reader x Male Monster

When my girlfriend abandoned me and our baby, my sister Lace invited me to come live with her. Back in the day, when she first had Ari, they lived with me, so it seemed fitting. Hearthway Hollow was a nice town, and the kind of place where someone could get away or just escape entirely. Lace had been talking about it nonstop, telling me how much she loved the place and how many good friends she had made. In a way, I felt like I had been heading towards Hearthway Hollow all this time.

My daughter Bunny is barely two, and Ari is six and excited to play big sister. Coming to Lace's home is a great comfort. Everything smells and feels like home - like when we were kids and Mom would dry her flowers and herbs in the rafters of the ceiling, and Dad would always have a pot of tea at the ready. Lace and Ariel have a room set up for us, and Lace says she'll use her connections in town to help Bunny and I find a place of our own.

"You'll be on your feet in no time," Lace says. "You'll be happy here, we'll get Bunny into daycare, and you can help me expand the shop."

I sigh, slouching back in my seat. "It all seems so far off, Lace. I don't know."

Lace smiles softly. "Take your time Micah, I know how much it hurts to be left like that."

Ariel tenses up at the coffee pot, slowly turning around and glancing over his shoulder. "But hey, Hearthway Hollow has a way of mending broken hearts."

Lace giggles. "It does. But how it heals is up to you too. Do you think you'll ever want to date again?" she asks. Ariel bends over, kissing her blue hair.

I look down at the table, looking at the glittering nail polish Ari had given me. I pick at my nails, thinking about my ex and how, even when we were dating, I was only ever really happy with her when she was pregnant with Bunny. She had seemed excited too, happy to start a family, happy to have a little girl. I sigh heavily and lay my head down on the table.

"I know some people at the station who are single," Ariel says, petting the top of my head. "There's Armand, he's probably the best shot there. Oh, and there's Ellie, she's super into crafting in her off time."

"No thanks," I sigh and lift my head from the table. "Right now I just want to focus on Bunny and me."

Ariel pats my back then set down at the table. "At least get out and make some new friends here. Lace's tea ceremonies always draw a big crowd, you'll meet lots of people."

I let out a long sigh. "I never thought I'd be starting over like this. Like, I know we weren't perfect, but to just wake up to a letter on the pillow is just-"

"Maybe it's for the best," Ariel says with a shrug. "If you weren't that happy with her, then it would have happened eventually, and at least Bunny will get to see you happy."

"Yeah," I murmur as I look back down at my nails. "I guess I was more excited for the idea of a family than anything."

"Well, hell," Lace scoffs. "You have one right here, dummy. May not be perfect, but you got us."

I smile up at her. Lace has always been a rock for me. When we were kids and I was picked on, she was always there to stand up for me. Being chubby and not the ideal specimen of manhood, I was the target of many a bully. Lace was always the epitome of cool to me, and I have always wanted to hold myself the way she does.

I hear fussing from the baby monitor, so I get up and go back to my room to get Bunny. She is already standing at the side of her crib, whining as I come through the door. I picked her up and she instantly lays her head on my shoulder and whimpers.