"Sissy!"
Marionette shakes me awake, I sleepily roll over and force my tired eyes open. Through the darkness I can see her petrified pupils staring back at me.
I lazily reach over for the lamp and turn it on.
"Okay, come up here." I mumble, patting the spot next to me.
She nods and crawls up onto the bed, curling around me. I begin to stroke her hair and she softly cries into my pajamas.
"Mother made cookies, Mari,"
"Really?" She beams, her tears quickly coming to a stop.
My head bounces, "You know what that means."
Marionette looks up at me with a small smile and quickly fights her way up, wobbling as she stands.
We make our way downstairs, hoping our parents can't hear the light creaking of the sleek wooden stairs. Her hand trails down the railing, making somewhat of a harmonic sound as her legs run her down the stairs.
I lift her onto the counter with a grunt and her short legs dangle off. Grabbing the plastic container which holds the peanut butter cookies, I yank the lid off and slide the container across the counter to her. She giggles and grabs one out, swinging her legs.
"Almost Christmas time," I say, "what are you wishing for?"
I take one before popping the lid back on, making it look like the container was never touched.
"I really want a pony!" She whispers excitedly, taking a big bite.
"Yeah? What type of pony?"
"A green one, glittery."
"A green...glittery pony?"
"Yep!" She says, taking another bite, the peanut buttery goodness is almost gone.
"What if it's not possible?"
"It is!"
She's always so optimistic, it makes me wish some of the things she says are real.
"Okay, whatever you say," I take a small bite, and the bittersweet flavor melts into my mouth.
As of now, I'm happy.
Not happy Marionette had another nightmare, although if she didn't I wouldn't be eating a peanut butter cookie. But I am jubilant, because I have it way better than a lot of people my age.
As far as I can remember, nothing in my life has ever significantly gone wrong.
I continue to eat in peace and she continues to happily swing her legs, she's finished and staring at me.
"Are you done yet?" She asks.
"Appears not," I answer with another bite.
She sighs dramatically and tilts her head to the side.
"What happened in your dream this time?"
"Oh, there was red juice everywhereee!"
I hesitate, "Blood?"
"Yucky!" She exclaims.
It's strange that her nightmares lately all have to do with something related to blood. I wonder why.
"But you kicked their asses right?"
"YEP! Asses zero, me, one!"
"Don't say that in front of Mother and Father, yeah?"
"Yep!"
I take my final bite and she's quick to leap down from the counter. We both run back upstairs and I tuck her back into bed, kissing her cheek. The light green paint in her recently renovated room brightens it up, even in the dark.
"Goodnight." I whisper.
"Bye-bye, Marine."
I pat her sleepy head and walk out, turning back around to look at her, she's cuddling up with her cat plushie. Then I slowly and quietly close the door behind me.
When I wake up the next morning, the sun shines brightly. I open the blinds all the way, because there's nothing better than the warm sun on your skin in the morning.
"Marine!" Marionette runs into my room.
"Yeah?" I rub my tired eyes.
"Mommy and Daddy are taking me on a Christmas trip!"
I hide my confused thoughts from her, instead portraying an excited look. But why not me as well?
"Have a fun time then."
"Bye-bye!"
Marionette runs out of the room and I can hear her pulling her suitcase down the stairs. It clunks with heaviness, beating the wood.
I peek out the door, my father comes in and helps her carry it down.
Now it's day four, I've tried calling, but they don't respond. They never told me how long they were going to be gone, so it's probably fine.
When they get home, Mother tells me the news.
"She's dead."
It's only two simple words but it makes tears stream down my face, quicker than I've ever experienced. An empty pit forms in my stomach, and I start to descend into a tunnel of loneliness. I can feel it. This deep longing I've never felt before. This horrific, petrifying feeling that I want to stop. No matter how hard I try I can't make it go away. I can't grasp onto any sane thoughts.
I can't ever feel her in my arms again. I can't hear her giggles ever again.
It feels like the shadows intruding in from the windows are coming directly for me.
No Marionette.
I have questions, because I always have questions. My one sane thought.
How come they don't look at all hurt? Weren't they in the car too?
Cleodare slapped me awake.
"Marine, babydoll? Wake up."
"I'm sorry."
"Stop apologizing," she pulled me in close to her and I snuggled in. "You were stirring."
"Bad dream." I muttered.
Cleo didn't answer and kissed the top of my head, leaving her mouth on my head, providing me with some presence of warmth.
"You're fine now?"
My breath faltered and an unannounced sigh came out. "I think so."
"Just making sure," she said softly, her gentle breath pervaded my ear. Cleo ran her fingers through my hair.
I sniffled.
"Don't do it," she told me lowly.
"Do what?"
"Don't cry. It's okay, darling."
"I'm just scared. Everything feels too good to be true."
"Having a normal life?"
Somewhat normal.
I nodded in response as she hummed with small hints of confusion.
"I'll keep you safe, don't worry, babydoll. You are always my top priority."
"I...I know," I answered, bits of blush staining my cheeks, "it just feels different."
"That's okay. I was planning to lay low for a quiet time, that'll help you adjust."
"How much sex will we have in that amount of time?" I asked genuinely.
Once I'd said it I wish I hadn't, because she found this more amusing than I'd wanted her to, snorting into my head.
"A lot," she snorted. "Especially for my girl."
I couldn't keep myself from blushing, I'd never been more glad Cleo hadn't seen my face from the angle she was at. She'd probably pin me down right then and there.
There it was again, happiness, filling my soul.
"Want to answer some trivia questions?"
"That...sounds horrible, but sure." I scoffed lightly.
"I am quite the fan,"
I just sighed happily and sunk back into her arms, which she squeezed tighter around my lower body.
"What's your favorite food, babydoll?" She asked, continuing to run her fingers through my hair, something that always provided me a strangely large amount of comfort.
A soft gasp left my mouth. "Peanut butter." I answered.
She paused, a puzzled look spread across her face. "What in Satan's name?"
"You've never heard of it?! Aren't you like- centuries old?"
I could feel her thin lips smile against the end of my scalp.
"Ugh," I huffed. "I could eat it by the spoonful. Whole jars."
We sat in silence for a moment and I studied her hands, they were hugging my waist, and ever so pretty.
Cleo had been blessed with long fingers, the nails on her middle and ring finger were cut short. And they were cold and pale, like every other part of her body, sometimes when I'd hold her hand she'd shiver from my warmth.
"I'll be right back, babydoll."
"You're leaving me?" My heart pounded. I began to enter panic mode.
"Just right back, you can do this."
I repeated her words in my head over and over as she slipped out from under me, I fell back into bed, the comforter suffocating me.
"I'll try different things to help with your separation anxiety later, my love. But this is quite important now."
I shuddered from nervousness, rolling around in my covers like a helpless puppy.
"You...you said you were laying low." I sniffled.
As she stood up, I saw her pause and look at me with sympathy I'd never seen her front before.
"Okay, babydoll. This is what I'll do,"
She slunk the sweatshirt I'd stolen from her many times off her shoulders, and took an expensive looking bottle out of the pocket.
Cleo then sprayed every inch of it, the room instantly began to smell of her familiar sage, rosemary scent. One scent that reminded me of her, and comforted me endlessly thinking about it.
It was foresty, but hints of sweetness lingered in the aroma, sprinkles of bitter rain water. And the bottle, you knew it was hers, and you wanted to keep inhaling.
Cleo tossed me her sweatshirt. I gripped onto it with shaking hands and buried my nose in it.
She patted my head, "Better?"
"Mmm." I moaned, inhaling deeply.
"I'll be back in less than twenty minutes,"
"just trust me."
Giving me a time made me feel a little better, even though she hadn't always followed through.
I had hope in her, this time she wasn't fighting a death battle.
I repeated her words through my head over and over again. I hoped I trusted her, because I wasn't quite sure.
Although she was back in no more than fifteen minutes, and I had her sweatshirt, I couldn't shake the feeling that that was just the first step of leaving me. Leaving me forever.
"I'm here, don't worry." Cleo said, a worried look in her eyes. She set a grocery bag down on my bed as she sat next to me, wrapping an arm around my shoulder.
"Stay forever." I mumbled, hugging her.
"I'll certainly try my hardest." She hugged me back, sinking down to snuggle next to me, repeatedly kissing my cheek.
"Well you certainly have a life to live." My grumbling came out muffled.
"I didn't know which one was your favorite, so I got them all,"
Cleo dumped out the grocery bag, jars of peanut butter of all different brands spilled out. She then handed me a spoon.
"Go for it."
"A-are you serious?" I breathed, "You have money for all this?"
She smiled. "Of course I do. Do you doubt me?"
I assumed it was rhetorical.
Regardless of her mysterious response, I grabbed a random jar without even looking at the label and helped myself.
Cleo wrapped her arms around me, her head in the crevice of my neck.
"Why?" I asked between spoonfuls.
"Because you deserve it with all the fuckery you've been through lately."
I hummed, drops of sadness intertwined.
The peanut butter absorbed all the liquid out from my mouth. Coughing, I quickly grabbed the water bottle from my nightstand, and began to chug it all down to wash the dryness out.
"You okay?" Cleo asked, rubbing my back, her voice was soft and gentle.
"Barely," I nodded, exaggerating.
I scooped the tiniest amount of it onto the tip of my pinky finger and put it up to her lips.
She shook her head, "I can't."
"What's the worst that could happen?" I smiled, enthusiasm coated my voice.
"I guess we'll find out." She deep-throated my finger to lick it off.
"That was...very..suggestive." I laughed.
She also let out a lighthearted laugh and smiled.
I'd never seen her smile like that before, like she was really enjoying her time with me. It was brighter than usual.
"How does it feel so far? Taking a break?"
"Good...I feel good, it feels good." I smiled softly.
"Also, I did not enjoy that peanut butter,"
"I've only heard legends about what happens if I feed on anything other than blood."
"Seriously? I cannot believe you!" I scoffed, "Can't trust you with anything." I shoved another spoonful into my mouth.
"Don't jump to conclusions so quickly, Marine." Her deep voice husked, sounding dominant.
I turned to look at her, my eyes as big as a neon red warning sign. The spoon remained in my mouth as my eyebrows raised, my cheeks turned a deep pink.
Cleo laughed, "I can tease you so easily!"
I shook my head rapidly, drawing the spoon out from my mouth. "This is so unfair."
"I have you in a chokehold, babydoll."
That was true, but I wouldn't admit it in a million years.
Who wouldn't love a woman like Cleo?
Cleo was the epitome of the grungy girlfriend you never knew you needed. She gave me things when I didn't even ask. Amazingly sexy in bed. She may have been difficult to crack, but her vulnerability was beautiful.
The illegal tattoo she had gotten done decades ago, which probably had much more meaning than she was willing to tell me. It was somehow all so captivating.
Once she hooked you there was no turning back, she truly was an addictive drug.
Those pretty hazel gems for eyes, with the perfect amount of grey. Like someone had dipped a brush into shiny silver and intricately placed each stroke.
Cleodare was perfect.
I was safe when I was with her, at my peak.
I didn't know why she'd chosen me. Why she had spared me that night, and I don't think she did either.
"Cleo?"
"Mm,"
"If I had never been a dumb bitch that night, you would've never found me. And I wouldn't be a horny mess all the time."
"You sound like you want me to leave."
I subconsciously fell into her grasp even deeper, lightly whimpering.
"I'm sure I would've found you eventually, you've been living here for years, haven't you? A lovely cabin that backs up to the forest."
I nodded.
"We were trapped in our base for so many years, humans so convenient like you were perfect when we finally went outside."
"That's right, because you killed the president."
"Assassinated, to be more specific," she grunted.
"So it was all your fault, basically."
"President Gillian had us figured out. We tried to make a deal, we gave him an ultimatum, but he was going to tell. With enough well-trained humans, we wouldn't have stood a chance,"
I couldn't imagine Cleodare dead, she seemed so invincible.
"So you killed him?"
"They sent a few of us. They sent me with a bunch of pathetic imbeciles, I just did what I was told, and it got me to top ten."
"And your parents didn't even say anything?..." I hoped I wasn't pushing too hard.
"I did what I was told, Marine. They couldn't have cared less, especially if all I was doing was following orders."
"So how did you get to top five?"
"That was just under a decade ago. Once you're in top ten it only gets easier to rank up. After giving up on my dreams of making my parents proud of me I just started taking initiative," she explained.
"Since we were locked up, there were few of us who would go out to hunt."
"You."
"Yes."
"I think that's why Harper hates me," she scoffed with a small laugh, "he's made it to top ten and he's having trouble."
"He's jealous?"
"Precisely."
"He doesn't seem like the type," I mumbled.
"There's many things you don't know about him, I don't trust him one bit. He's a suck up."
"He saved your life, though."
"Of course he did, he's obsessed with me, but I saved his too. Which was one time too many. I don't owe him a thing, especially not my trust."
"He warmed up to me, maybe he's just scared of you."
"Sounds great. That puny man-whore can stay away from me for all I care."
Cleo ran her long fingers through my tangled hair. I sighed.
She started to gently untangle the knots, "When's the last time you had a self care session?"
"I don't remember." I muttered. That may have been one of the truest things I'd said in a long time.
"Okay, babydoll, I'll help you with it tomorrow."
"Yeah? Will you tell me another story, too?" I happily scooped another spoonful into my mouth, before licking my lips off.
I adored how detailed she was with her stories, she never left anything out.
Cleo's stories were like a childhood dream.
Cleo smiled. It reminded me of the smile I used to give Marionette, lovingly amused.
"Of course I will."
"Like what?" I yawned.
It was suddenly like the peanut butter had put me to sleep. My arm suddenly went limp and she gently grabbed the jar and spoon out from my grasp, putting them down on my nightstand next to us.
"Hm...the story of my ex-girlfriend. If you'd like."
I was immediately captivated, but too tired to think about sitting through another story. "Yeah...I would like that."
"Tomorrow," she whispered, her voice soft, like a loving mother to a newborn baby.
"Sleep, my love." Planting a kiss on my lips, I suddenly realized I felt like I'd been hit by a brick wall.
I couldn't sleep, the nightmares, I fought against my faltering eyelids.
Cleo once again, read my mind.
"It's okay, just submit,"
"I'm here, you're safe."
She kissed me again and it was like she had hypnotized me, everything faded to black.
Not even the twinkling grey in her eyes could wake me. Little nighttime stars.
(A/N, I'm literally so tired 😭lmao my eyelids are fighting me. Apologies if the editing is a little sloppy, suppose i might fix it eventually.
Goodnight you little horndogs. (jkjkk but you know.))