Chapter Text
The universe bestowed a liquid of pleasure and oblivion to the pitiful humans but put on a horrid price to repay as a warning. When the morning came, four girls in the Zimmerman’s mansion were reminded of the alcohol’s hellish retribution. They all woke up feeling miserable, as their bodies screamed from the devilish drinks drank the night before. Getting to the living room was a challenge, but their empty stomachs begged to be filled, longing for anything solid.
“Wow, you look awful.” Theo stood in the kitchen, making some scrambled eggs. Their scent filled the space, making the girls more hungry.
“Food… please…” Annette looked like a zombie, ready to pounce on his brain to ease the starvation.
“Yes, yes, a minute. We figured out you’ll need it.” He showed the absurd number of eggshells on the counter, suggesting the portion could easily fill everyone’s bellies.
Frederica was still sleeping, exhausted after the night of fun, being the only one not present here. Anju was in not so bad shape, helping Kurena and Charlotte compose themselves since the nausea was killing them both. Somehow, Lena seemed to be in a similarly miserable state as them despite not consuming any vodka.
“Looks like you had fun.” Shin descended from upstairs, hearing the commotion. He saw the amusingly poor shape of everyone but tried not to show on his face how comical it had looked.
“Shut up. You’re loud…” Kurena mumbled, not noticing it was her beloved Shin who was talking. Her head was killing her, with every noise adding to the pain.
“Your fault for drinking this much. Don’t you have any sense of restraint?” Theo scolded her, but it was directed at all of them.
“Lena…. Never again… bartender…” Charlotte managed to say a few words but had to go to the bathroom to puke.
“Come on, it was not that bad…” Anju tried to defend her a little, but no one seemed to support her, not even Lena herself.
“Not that bad? What was that fucking ratio? Triple vodka with a hint of juice? And why do you look worse than some of us? You weren’t even drinking!” Annette cursed letting her friend do the mixing since the girl clearly had no idea what she was doing. They all got drunk very quickly, but the quantity of alcohol in drinks stayed almost deadly.
“I don’t…” Lena didn’t finish, running off to the place that Char had occupied moments ago. They all heard the sounds of violent throwing up, unexpected from her. Shin quickly got to the bathroom, not minding she might be embarrassed by the situation, and not wanting to leave her alone. He delicately gathered her silver hair and held it back so it wouldn’t get in the way. The gag reflex stopped long after she had nothing inside.
“Are you all right? Do you want a glass of water?” He asked with a caring voice, for which she was eternally grateful. Lena nodded, not having the strength to talk, and the boy came back after a minute with cold water.
“Better. Thanks.” She muttered, still not feeling well. Shin helped her stand up and get to the couch, but when she sat down, they noticed the piercing stares of everyone around them.
“...so…” Theo started, but he quickly realized he wasn’t the one who should pop the question.
“No… Lena… HOW COULD YOU KEEP IT HIDDEN FROM ME?! I THOUGHT WE WERE FRIENDS!” Annette started crying from the emotions amplified by the alcohol still in her veins.
Kurena started bawling, feeling like her heart was just broken into a million pieces. Theo didn’t notice the eggs were slowly getting burned, and Raiden, who came here seconds earlier, was frozen in shock. Charlotte was looking at Shin and Lena in disbelief, with her mouth wide open. Anju clapped hesitantly, not knowing if the mood was celebratory or the opposite.
“What? Wait, no! It’s not what you’re thinking!” Realization hit Shin, of how this situation could have easily got misinterpreted given the circumstances. He wanted to clarify everything, but no one was in their right mind.
“HOW SHIN BECAME A FATHER BEFORE I EVEN GOT A CHANCE TO CONFESS?” Kurena was distraught, no longer caring about being heard by everyone.
“Lena, since when? My God, is that why you were avoiding check-ups? It all now makes sense now…” In contrast, Annette collected herself after a moment of weakness and started to retrospectively analyze everything.
“It’s not-” Lena tried to explain, but she got caught off by the avalanche of questions.
“Do you know the gender? Who gets to be their godmother? It’s me, right?” Annette held her by the hand, not wanting Lena to run away.
“Shin, you bastard. I underestimated you. Who would’ve thought you were such a beast in bed? But come on, aren’t you too young for this?” Raiden didn’t know how to break the tension, and his jokes seemed to only make things worse.
“LITTLE BABY SHIN...” Kurena cried even harder, imagining a red-eyed child she was not a mother of. She fantasized so many times about it, but the dream had collapsed one morning.
“What? WHAT? NO!!!” Frederica, who had woken up from the noise, heard what was said and was devastated. She started throwing a fit, not wanting Shin to give the attention to other child.
“STOP IT, EVERYONE! LENA IS NOT PREGNANT. WE AREN’T EVEN DATING, LET ALONE SLEEPING WITH EACH OTHER!” Shin lost his composure and yelled the embarrassing details of their relationship for all gathered here to hear. He saw how mortified Lena looked, curled up on the couch, and he wanted to end this.
“We all saw it! She refused to drink, has morning sickness, and you were arguing on the road a few days ago… If you aren’t the father, then…” It was clear Annette was still a bit drunk because her usual sense was nowhere to be found. She was so hung up on the idea that Lena wanted to hide such an important part of her life, Annette didn’t realize, there was nothing to be hidden.
“YOU BITCH! HOW COULD YOU DO THAT TO SHIN? WE ALL KNOW HE ADORES YOU! YES, I HATE IT. I HATE IT SO MUCH. BUT BREAKING HIS HEART LIKE THAT IS TOO MUCH!” The red-haired woman was in a similarly sound mind, pulled by the emotional rollercoaster that was this morning. The sense of relief that Shin wasn’t having a child was mixed with fury, how this girl could give up the opportunity she would kill for.
“And I started to trust you, evil woman!” Frederica looked like she wanted to bite Lena and chew her arm off.
“I’M A VIRGIN, OKAY? I DIDN’T SLEEP WITH ANYONE. MAYBE I HAVE IRRITABLE BOWEL OR SOMETHING, I DON’T KNOW. IT HAPPENS SOMETIMES, I’M USED TO THAT.” Lena was redder than Shin’s eyes and Kurena’s hair combined, feeling ashamed by her admission. It was awfully embarrassing to tell her friends, let alone former subordinates. It wasn’t the first time she got nauseous in the morning, but she blamed it on the stress and poor diet.
Everyone got silent, unsure of what to do next. Should they apologize? Beg for forgiveness? Try to pretend this whole discussion didn’t take place? The air was tense, and no one wanted to take the first step. Kurena felt especially ashamed by everything she had said in the moment, but no one could take their words back.
“...Irritable bowel syndrome doesn’t manifest as nausea and vomiting, you should see a doctor. If it happens regularly, it could be serious.” Annette was the first to speak up, since the more she thought about it, the less trivially it sounded. She was swarmed with work and they missed a few examinations, but Lena had never told her about those symptoms. If she knew something was going on, she wouldn't let her off so easily.
“Haven’t you promised Annette will examine you the next day?” Shin was hurt hearing the girl’s words since it meant the girl lied to him. What was even worse though, was the uneasiness he started to feel in his chest.
“I wanted to, but the moving company misplaced our stuff. All the equipment was in there, they promised to deliver it properly today or the next day. I’m not avoiding anything, the luck just isn’t on my side.” Lena sighed, weary after the storm had passed. She closed her eyes trying to unwind, but it was hard to do in the uncomfortable atmosphere.
“I’m sorry, to the both of you. We shouldn’t have assumed.” Anju apologized, and the rest quickly followed. The small talk wasn’t going well, so they sat there in silence. Theo offered everyone some scrambled eggs, but only the most desperate took up the offer. The partying vibe was long gone.
“Oh shit, I got the message. They decoded the card.” Annette stared at the notification, not believing it was done so fast. Everyone wanted to change the topic from the unfortunate baby talk, so the news was received with relief.
“Then what are we waiting for? As soon as you guys sober up enough, we're all going to the lab.” Theoto declared to the room, and there wasn’t a single voice of objection.
* * *
August 2nd Republic Year 357 (Stellar Year 2138)
30 days until the Start of the Legion War
*tw: implied past suicidal attempt mentioned*
“You look gloomy as always!” Mathilda exclaimed with a sweet smile, knowing she’d get away with it. Her golden hair was neatly kept in a tight bun, hoping to make her look more mature. She was always seen as the youngest by the Birkenbaum siblings, no matter how much time had passed. Even when Mathilda was a fully grown adult, close to becoming a mother, in Zelene’s eyes she was nothing more than a freshly hatched chick.
“You got fatter. Do we need more of those pleasantries?” Zelene held herself back from rolling her eyes, but the woman’s presence made her feel more at home. They didn’t keep close contact because of her frequent travels, but recently Hilda started pestering her anew.
“Oh please, you won't get rid of me that easily. Besides, I’ll pop two or three kilograms out soon, the rest will be a piece of cake. Speaking of cakes, did your lovely niece give you the invitations? There are only a few days left, and you still haven’t RSVP’d.” Mathilda relaxed on the sofa, casually laying on her back and getting her bare feet on the armrest. The hostess silently clenched her fist, but said nothing.
“I had planned to send someone today. We will be attending. I won’t be there for long, but there is someone I have to meet. Elizabeth will come with a friend, but keep an eye on him. I have a bad feeling about it.” It was a request, but Zelene Birkenbaum rarely said please or thank you. Luckily for her, the guest was used to her way of speaking, even enjoying their usual banters.
“Sure, sure. It’s a boy then. Who would have thought, that you would one day step into the role of a father... Keep your hands away from my niece! Over my dead body! If I find you in her room again, you’ll never see the light of day again! Gosh, I have many more of those. I have a feeling Ernst will be this kind of overprotective parent. Especially, if our angel turns out to be a princess…” She giggled at the thought, like a teenager in love for the first time. They stayed madly in love even after the wedding, and she was dying from excitement to see what the future holds.
“You and your imagination. And you ask me why I can never see you as a grown-up. I pity your child, getting two airheads as their parents. About the boy, he attached himself to Elizabeth way too quickly. He came from the Republic a year ago, but somehow everyone missed out on his presence completely. That is why I hate allocating tasks to others, you cannot trust anyone to do their job right.” Zelene had already fired people responsible for monitoring the security since she clearly asked to be informed about any suspicious individuals. Being away from Sankt Jedar made her dependent on the staff, who lowered the standards when their Mistress was away.
“I won’t interfere, but stop seeing enemies in everyone. I don’t want you to be left alone in the mansion. Not after the last time.” A shadow passed over her face when she recalled what happened after Carl Birkenbaum’s death. It was a devastating time for her, but she at least had her family to support her. Zelene isolated herself completely, banishing all the servants, and closing the manor’s door. Mathilda still thanked God she found her before it was too late.
“It doesn’t matter now. I have things to do, and I plan to stick it out until I finish them. If that’s why you drop in so often, you can stop now. As long as Elizabeth is here and my projects are incomplete, I will fight tooth and nail to hold on.” The woman seemed sincere, a resolve not seen in her for years. It had a terrifyingly clear deadline, but it gave Mathilda hope something might change. Especially, if the cold aunt spends more time with her heartwarming niece.
“I’m not so sure myself. When I heard you were coming back from your travels, I felt a wave of relief. Up until I’ve heard the rumors. Zelene Birkenbaum is a snobbish misanthrope, a freak too afraid to show her face. She is never seen outside. Ice witch of the Birkenbaum mansion. Nothing has changed after the years, you are still holed up in this cursed place, haunted by his shadow. You sound confident now, but what comes next? Those things will end soon. Everything might change on a whim, just one bad day could be enough. I’ve got worried, can you blame me?” Mathilda tried to avoid getting stressed while pregnant, but it was hard to do when those thoughts haunted her in her sleep. She only felt at ease after seeing Zelene in person, especially since her niece had joined her.
“Mathilda, stop it. Please. If I had known how much it’d affect you, I would’ve cut you off right there and then. You’ll have a baby to worry about in a moment, stop concerning yourself with some reclusive freak. I’m an adult, who makes her own choices. Don’t make me drag you down with me.” Her stoic mask cracked when she heard her friend's candid confession. Life for her ended the day that plane crashed, but Mathilda was capable of living on. She fell in love, married, and conceived a child, all while Zelene was rotting away from the inside. The girl deserved freedom from their past, not to be chained by guilt to the dead weight named Zelene.
“You know why I didn’t tell Ernst about your problems? Because I know you would have hated it. He is the sweetest person on the Earth, I’m sure he would let you live with us unconditionally. You would have gotten all the help you needed, and we would go through it together. But that night, I wavered. You begged me, remember? I’ve never seen you like that before. I wavered, and I fucking regret it every night. I shouldn’t have let you go, it could have ended differently. Tell me, did you even keep your promise?” Mathilda was no longer lying on the couch, but sitting and crying helplessly, trembling from all the emotions. She knew it was unhealthy, but those thoughts plagued her for such a long time, she felt like they could explode at any given moment.
“Hilda, focus on me. Breathe. In and out. I can’t let you meet your angel too soon. Please, follow my lead. Slowly. Breathe in… hold it. Now let it out. Good, again.” Zelene came to her senses, realizing how dangerous this situation may be for her friend, and immediately regained her composure. The woman ran up to the shaken-up Mathilda and started to instruct her. She guided her for a few minutes, until the girl stabilized, and no longer needed her help.
“Thanks… I… I shouldn’t have done that. Lashing out on you like that. I sincerely congratulate you on trying your best. Sometimes I forget everything won’t fix itself immediately.” Her voice was still quaky, but the hysteria had subsided. She instinctively snuggled up to Zelene, just like they did as children. The woman was like an older sister to her, with a five-year difference between them. They spent their childhood together, and she was of great help when Mathilda’s parents were struggling with split custody after the divorce. Even when years have passed, she still remembered the crimson warmth that kept her going.
“I was the one who shouldn’t have pushed it. I know you only want the best for me. I can’t tell you everything, but I’ve kept my promise. I searched thoroughly and found a goal to keep me going. I’ll show it to you one day, it was designed with Carl in mind. And...I’ve never tried that again. It wasn’t a wrong choice to let me go. I’ve been grateful for that chance.” Zelene reciprocated the hug, feeling like she was ten once again. The women sat like that in silence, with the occasional tears sometimes falling on their cheeks.
One evening didn’t change the world, or even the course of their lives. But in that particular moment, both Zelene and Mathilda just felt glad, that they got to hug at least one more time.