"How long do I have to stay like this?" Anthony complained due to being in a motionless pose for several hours.
"Hey you're the one who wanted your 'flawless body' immortalized so stop whining." Vagatha responded as she painted his image onto her canvas. "Besides I told you before we started this would take awhile."
"This isn't awhile. This is half the day."
"Don't be such a baby. I'm almost done anyway."
"You made me look good right?"
"Of course. If I didn't you would burn the painting because you refuse to allow anyone to see you as anything other than fabulous."
"You know me so well sweet wings."
She gave the canvas some more strokes with her paintbrush and added just a few finishing touches.
"Okay you can move. It's all done."
Anthony got out of his pose and went to see the results of Vagatha's work. It was a portrait of Anthony in abstract background that was made up of spiderwebs that had dew drobs caught in them.
"Impressive." He said.
"You really like it?" She asked.
"It's perfect."
"Good. Now I've painted just about everyone in the castle."
"Not everyone. You haven't painted Alastor yet."
"Anthony you know how he feels about seeing himself. If I painted him he would just get angry and tear the picture apart."
"What about Charlotte? She'd look nice in a picture."
"Yeah she would. Maybe I'll paint her sometime."
"You know some artists paint people in the nude."
"I prefer clothed models thank you very much."
"Still does that give you any ideas?" He asked when an eyebrow raise.
"No."
He took hold of her hand and kissed it.
"How about now?"
"No."
He kissed her hand again.
"Now?"
"No."
"Now?"
He started kissing up her arm. She fought the urge to smile but it was a futile effort.
"Oh no." She giggled.
"Oh yes." He said seductively.
"Oh no."
"Oh yes, yes, yes." He nibbled on her ear which made her jump.
"Oh no! I've been bitten by you before."
She turned to the painting but was surprised when he scooped her up.
"What are you doing?" She squealed in a laugh.
"I think you deserve a reward for making me such a marvelous painting."
"Anthony no! The painting isn't dry yet! I- Ah!"
As he carried her to over to the nearest sofa bed, he peppered her neck with kisses which caused her to go into a giggling fit. He laid her on the sofa bed and climbed on top of her. Their lips were then locked into the passionate session of French kissing.
"Oh God I've missed this." Anthony said when they stopped to breathe. "Have you?"
"I'd like to say no." Vagatha smirked. "But yes. I have missed this. I've missed you."
They proceeded to kiss again and his extra arms began to untie the laces of her bodice. With her left arm she lifted up her skirt so he could get better access to her legs while her right arm started pulling on his shirt. They probably would have gone all the way if not for-
"Um excuse me?"
They became as still as the statues in the gallery when they finally became aware of Alastor' and Husk's presence. They were standing in the doorway staring at them and feeling very awkward. Anthony and Vagatha's faces turned the shade of blood.
"Sir!" They quickly got up off the sofa bed and fixed their attire.
"We didn't expect to see you down here at this hour." Vagtha said. "Did you need something?"
"Yes. I need to talk you all about something." Alastor said.
"Of course sir."
"One minute. Let me go change my shirt." Anthony said hurrying to his room in order to remove the shirt that now bore a few rouge stains.
"One minute? It'll take him an hour to find a new shirt that he likes." Husk muttered.
"So um..." Alastor said to Vagatha awkwardly. "How long has that been going on?"
"Not so long." Vagatha answered bashfully while putting all her brushes into the glass vase she used.
"Since you were like seven." Husk said.
"Husk!" She cried. "You swore you'd never tell!"
"Hey if he finds out on his own that you two are going at it then that promise is declared null void."
"So you and Anthony have been together for sixteen years?" Alastor asked.
"No." She answered. "We had a fling that lasted for about three years and then we ended it."
"You never officially ended it." Husk said. "You still secretly pined after each other for the next thirteen years."
"Does anyone else know about this?" Alastor asked.
"Just me and it's because my room was next Anthony's meaning I would have spend many nights listening to their...Passion."
"One more word Husk and I'll neuter you myself!" Vagatha raged.
"Alright I think I'll change the subject now." Alastor said. "So there's something I really need advice with?"
"Well spit out kid, what's wrong?" Husk asked.
"First off the year will be over next week and that's when Charlotte will be going home."
"Uh-oh. I know you're not happy about that." Vagatha said.
"No I'm not. I don't want her to leave. I know I can't keep her here. I'm nothing if not a man of my word. But I'm worried that if she leaves then she won't come back and I don't know if I could bear never seeing her again."
"That is a very big predicament." Husk said pulling a bottle of rum from his jacket.
"But I have an idea. Something that will ensure that she doesn't leave me for good."
"Which is?"
Alastor briefly looked down at his feet in a nervous manner.
"If I tell you, don't panic or think I'm crazy."
"Kid we've known you for twenty-three years. You can tell us anything." He started to drink from the bottle.
"Okay. I...I'm going to ask her to marry me."
Husk spat out his drink in surprise, Vagatha dropped her vase in shock. They looked at him gobsmacked.
"Marry?!" They both said.
"As in you ask her if she would go to church with you, exchange rings, and a holy man says 'I now declare you husband and wife?' " Husk asked.
"Yes. Last I checked that's what it meant to ask someone to marry you." Alastor said. "Has the definition changed over time?"
"No." Vagatha said. "It still means that. Sir are you serious about this?"
"Yes I am. I mean you all said that I loved her and as I thought more about I realized that you're right. And I want to be with her always. If we were married she would have the freedom to go home to her family but still come back to me."
"But don't you think it's a bit too soon? You've only known each other for a year?"
"My parents only knew each other for two weeks before they were married."
"He has a point." Husk said. "And besides both our species usually mate after one meeting so I don't think time is the issue here."
"Then what is the issue here?" Alastor asked.
"What are you going to do if she says no?"
"That's right sir there's no guarantee she'll say yes." Vagatha said.
"Because she might not love me?"
"Yes or she might not be ready for marriage or she doesn't know if she loves you. It's obvious she cares for you deeply and we're not trying to discourage you we just want you to understand that if you do this the outcome might not be what you hoped for."
"Also we want to make sure that if she turns you down you won't go insane and lock her up or something." Husk said.
"I wouldn't do that." Alastor said. "If she rejects me then I will withdraw like a gentleman and turn my heart to other pursues."
"In that case you have our support." Vagatha said.
"Splendid because truth be told I haven't the foggiest idea how to go about this. She makes me so nervous. I'm worried I might not be able to get the words out."
"You've always had a wonderful way with words."
"Yes but I've never had to use them to profess what's in my heart to anyone. What do I do? What do I say?"
"Alright calm down. In situation like this you probably need to practice what you're going to say."
"How do you I do that?"
"Practice on me. Pretend I'm Charlotte."
"I don't know Vagatha. You're basically family to me."
"Exactly so you won't be as nervous."
"True. Alright here I go."
When Anthony finally found a clean and stylish shirt to wear he headed back to the art gallery which was at the exact moment he saw Alastor get on one knee and take Vagatha's hand.
"My dear, you and I have known each other for a very long time now and during that time I've become very close to you. So close that you've become the one person I have loved more than anything in this world. I can't imagine not spending everyday with you. Will you marry me?"
"What the hell is this?!" Anthony shouted angrily. "You're making goo-goo eyes at my woman?!"
Anthony lunged to attack Alastor but Alastor was twice his size and strength so he just easily stopped Anthony by placing one hand on his head, keeping him at a short distance.
"What are you thinking?! You can't marry her! She's years older than you and she's practically raised you! That's sick!" He said flailing his arms in fury. "And how could you do this to me?! You were like a brother to me! I'll inject you with venom for this!"
"Anthony stop before you hurt yourself." Vagatha said.
"No way! I'm defending your honor!"
"Anthony it's not what you think." Alastor said.
"Not what I think?! I just saw you propose to the love of my life?!
"Anthony I was proposing to Vagatha. She was helping me practice for when I propose to Charlotte."
"I don't care if you're my master! You don't deserve her- Wait practice for when you propose to who?"
"Charlotte. I'm going to ask her to marry me."
And just like that his anger turned into excitement.
"Really?! You mean you're actually to tell her how you feel and ask her to tie the knot with you?"
"Yes."
"This is great! The best news ever! It's what we've been spent years waiting for!"
"Pardon?"
Vagatha quickly clamped her hand over Anthony's mouth.
"Silly Anthony." She chuckled nervously. "He gets so over excited that sometimes he'll exaggerate."
She turned to whisper in his ear.
"And ruin everything by blabbing a secret."
"Mmmm-Hmmm." Anthony muffled which probably meant "Sorry."
"Charlotte is most likely awake by now sir so why don't you see to her while I break the big news to everyone else?" She asked. "Niffty and Cherri will definitely want to hear about this."
"Good idea. I don't want her to know about this yet. I want it to be a surprise."
He left the gallery and when he was gone Vagatha released Anthony's mouth.
"Are you an idiot?" She asked him.
"Way to almost blow Marie's secret dumbass." Husk said.
"I'm sorry but this is the opportunity of a lifetime." He said. "If Alastor intends to propose to her then he'll have to confess to Charlotte that he loves her and if she confesses that she loves him and they kiss then poof! The spell is broken and we're free at last."
"Unless Charlotte doesn't love him." Vagatha said.
"But there's a good chance that she does. We can all agree on that right?"
"Yes."
"So it is our mission to make sure that nothing goes wrong with his proposal. Absolutely nothing. Husk go get Niffty! No one knows more about romance than her!"
"I don't want to tell her, she squeaks when she hears about this stuff." Husk complained.
"Just do it." Vagatha insisted.
He rolled his eyes and reluctantly obeyed.
"So." Vagatha said turning to face Anthony. "I'm the love of your life huh?"
"Oh..." He blushed. "Yeah heh, heh about that."