Blessed by Night-Chapter 458: Home is Where…

"Alright, hon., now let that sit for about an hour, and you should be good to go."

Serana eased back against the sofa, her hair covered in wet dye and a plastic shower cap. "Thanks, Bianca... I honestly forgot how much trouble it was to do this on my own... still kinda wiped from the whole resurrecting thing."

"Ain’t no problem, sugar plum. Family is as family does."

Serana felt lucky to have not one, but two great families.

...Even if some of her step parents were her same age.

"I still can’t believe that you came back from the dead..." Nadine hung from the ceiling on a pair of unnaturally clawed feet. "What was it like? Is God a woman like Ariana Grande said??"

Anna also seemed interested in the question and leaned forward to hear the answer.

"Umm... well, for starters, I didn’t really die and it’s more like I was kind of in limbo? Also, I think he could be if he felt like it?"

"Radical." Nadine had an awestruck look in her eyes.

Luna patted the plastic cap on top of Serana’s head affectionately. "We’re just glad that you are safe and sound. Didn’t exactly think you would be the kid who we had to worry about sneaking out, but here we are."

Serana sank lower onto the ground. The pillow she clutched across her chest was squeezed to the point of going flat.

"...You think mom is mad at me?"

The women in the living room paused to ponder over the question.

Except for Anna, who rolled over on the sofa so she could stare at her from upside down.

"I wouldn’t worry too much about it. If it hadn’t been you beating up Ayuka, it probably would’ve been me."

"Anna!" Bianca hissed.

"What?! That woman has been treating my sweet Sei-bear like shit ever since we got here!"

"I know, but we can’t just physically assault everyone who says mean things to one of us!"

’First time I’m hearing of this rule..’ Nadine thought.

Anna got off the couch so that she could grab Bianca’s hands.

"I’m sorry, babe, but if someone was treating you like shit I would literally murder them with my bare hands. I don’t care about the consequences. Our family is my everything. I would never let anyone tear any of you down."

Bianca melted instantly at her wife’s intensity, and her position on the matter flipped almost instantly. "Aww..."

At the same time, Nadine dropped down from the ceiling and wrapped her arms around the both of them. "Isn’t my family just the cutest! I’m so lucky!"

When the three of them began to kiss, Serana hit all of them with the pillow in her lap.

"I am in emotional distress here! Can you save your happy married act for when I’m not on the verge of a total breakdown!"

Celeste sat down on the floor next to her step daughter and pulled her into her breasts.

"It’s alright, hon, if I’m honest I think your mom knows this is pretty par for the course with you. Didn’t you kick your birth father in the testicles so hard that he died?"

"No, babe, I told you that she kicked him before he died. But it wasn’t the cause." Anna corrected.

"Oh, right... my mistake."

Serana’s eyes were becoming more lifeless. "So I’m a habitual violent, thoughtless, headache of a daughter. Wonderful."

"Hey. No one is saying any of that." Celeste’s voice was firm. "We’re saying your mother knows how protective of her you are. And maybe you didn’t do the best thing but... I can’t see her ever resenting you for it. Your mother loves you more than anything in the world."

Serana sniffled as she nodded slowly.

Luna’s eyes naturally drifted to Joanne, who sat on the edge of the sofa staring into her phone.

She chewed on her fingernail thoughtlessly. Her eyes were unfocused and cloudy.

’..Jo?’ Luna nudged her softly. ’Is something wrong?’

Joanna’s eyes returned to focus and she looked up at Luna. ’Sorry. I miss something..?’

’Not much. I’m more concerned with why you’re about to take a bite out of your adorable nail bed.’

Joanne slowly took her thumb out of her mouth.

’Nerves, mostly.’

’I figured. Interested in sharing with the rest of the class?’

Joanne averted her eyes from her.

Her gaze lingered out the window, to the blue sky swirling around them.

’I just... hope you enjoyed being home for a bit, babe. Don’t know how much longer we’re going to be able to stick around.’

Luna took a moment to allow Joanne’s ominous words to settle in.

’Wherever our family is, that’s where home is for me. Anywhere else is... just a hunk of rock.’

Their fingers gradually became interlocked.

Without realizing it, Joanne found herself leaning for it. 𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ𝓋𝑒𝑙.𝑐𝘰𝑚

"OH MY GOD, I LIVE IN THE FREAKING PALACE OF POONANY! WOULD YOU ALL STOP TRYING TO KISS EACH OTHER EVERY FIVE MINUTES AND DO A PUZZLE OR SOMETHING!" Serana complained.

Bianca grabbed Anna by the face and licked her ear. "You can kiss me on top of a puzzle if you want."

"I am literally going to slit my wrists open and make all of you watch."

This time, it was everyone else who threw pillows at Serana.

"I-Is Malachi in here?!"

Sei came rushing into the room with flushed cheeks and panic in her eyes.

This naturally made Joanne and Anna get to their feet instantly.

"No, we thought he was with you.."

"What’s wrong?"

Sei swallowed. She held up a stack of papers in her trembling hand.

"Jo, honey, you need to read this..."

Joanne instantly appeared at Sei’s side and took the papers into her hands.

She flipped through them at near-light speed, her eyes scanning every note and syllable without missing a single detail.

When she was done, her headache was enormous.

She put down the paper and bit her lip unconsciously.

"Fuck... we have to terminate him."

-

Nyx allowed Keres to sit in her lap while she brushed her oily black hair.

All the while, the two of them stared up into the sky at the parade of powerful flashes taking place every second.

"Doesn’t your brother look so handsome in his himation?? And to think he’s wearing it voluntarily! Kyaa! I hate Lucifer’s guts, but I may very well have to send him a Christmas card to thank him for this minor miracle!" Nyx swooned.

Keres noted robotically as if this had not been the only thing her mother had talked about for the last thirty minutes. "Mhm. Very handsome. Very dapper."

"Isn’t he though?!" Nyx let out a shrill scream that was utterly un-like a primordial goddess. "He’s just the most handsomest baby boy in the whole..."

Suddenly, the scene overhead took a dramatic new direction that caused Nyx and Keres both to change their tunes.

A fearsome roar came from above that blew past them like the winds of a hurricane.

"...Did you know he could do that?"

"...No."