Winterfest with the Morningstars

Charlie knew that convincing Vaggie to spend the week with her parents back at the Manor was going to cause some pushback. She could understand her hesitation, though. It wasn’t everyday that you met your girlfriend’s parents, and the former angel had made her frustration very clear over what had happened in Charlie’s past within her family. Still, she had somehow managed to get her to agree that a week away from the Hotel wouldn’t be too terrible, and so far things had been going great! Granted, it had only been one day, but between baking, family dinner, and embarrassing childhood stories shared over a mug of cocoa and tea by the fire, day one with her father and mother had been a resounding success. Vaggie even seemed relatively relaxed by the time they finally got to bed.

Needless to say, Charlie was ecstatic.

Now she lay in bed holding the most beautiful woman in all of Hell, her mind keeping her wide awake as Vaggie slept peacefully in her arms. The sun had just come up over the horizon, and Charlie could smell breakfast starting to be worked on. Her father was probably awake, but she didn’t know if it was because he also couldn’t sleep or if he was just trying to be a good host by getting food ready by a reasonable time. Both options were viable at this point. Either way, she couldn’t be happier just laying in bed with the woman she loved enjoying not having to worry about the Hotel for once.

Except that was quite literally impossible for her. Not when she constantly worried about someone blowing up her Hotel and the fact that she was in charge of all of the plans for the week. Not to mention the one thing she wanted to get done while they were away and she still hadn’t thought about how she wanted to go about it.

With a sigh, the Princess kissed Vaggie’s forehead gently before carefully letting go of her and sliding out of bed. She readjusted the blankets around the slumbering angel in hopes that she would stay asleep for a few more much needed hours. She then turned to her own bag before digging to the bottom of it. Charlie cringed at the state of her clothes. They had started out neatly folded, but in the midst of not organizing properly as well as hiding particular things from curious eyes, it had already become the mess it usually is. At least it wasn’t for a lack of trying. With enough digging, her hand finally wrapped around what she had been looking for, and with a quick look back to the bed to make sure her girlfriend was still asleep, she pulled it out and made her way to her desk.

Perhaps it was a dangerous game to be wrapping Vaggie’s holiday gift up in the same room when she could wake up at any time, but at the same time, she hadn’t really had any other chance to do so before. This also gave her the opportunity to figure out the best time to give it to her as well. It wasn’t even all that big, but having it sit in front of her made it feel huge. It was something that couldn’t just be given at any random time, even though she knew Vaggie wouldn’t mind it much no matter when it was given, but it was imperative to Charlie that it was given at the most perfect moment. And that just led her down a never ending rabbit hole of how she was going to present the gift, how she wanted it wrapped, and back to how she was going to give it to her. After a few more minutes of quiet glaring at the thing, she groaned and laid her head down on the desk. She was getting nowhere with it anytime soon. Charlie had other things to worry about, like what holiday activities they were going to do that day.

Just as quickly as she was spiraling into a manic episode, it finally hit her. The answer to two out of her three main issues: what they were going to do that day, and what the best time to give Vaggie her gift would be. Conveniently, it was the same answer for both.

The Festival of Lights

Every year close to Sinsmas, Asmodeus hosted a festival celebrating the holiday itself. It used to be a staple for her family to go, which is why the festival itself tended to be more family friendly compared to the usual decor that would be seen in the Lust Ring. He kept it open and free for Hellborn families to be able to enjoy seeing decorations and lights and to bring about a sense of togetherness. Beelzebub had even begun to team up with him to offer refreshments, making it feel more like a proper festival. It was now one of the most popular events in the Seven Rings. Charlie felt stupid for not thinking of it sooner.

Just as she was about to approach the last issue she had, she heard shuffling from on the bed and realized she was out of time. She opened up one of the drawers in her desk and shoved the gift into it before turning to smile at her very sleepy looking girlfriend who was staring suspiciously over at her.

“Charlie?” Vaggie asked, yawning widely as she rubbed her eye. “What in the world are you doing awake this early?” “Oh, you know me…couldn’t sleep.” Charlie laughed nervously before getting up and moving back to the bed to join the angel again. “What about you, why aren’t you still asleep? It’s just past dawn, babe.”

“Yes, well…my pillow left me and is acting suspicious so I couldn’t help but wake up to find her.” Vaggie chuckled tiredly, moving over to situate herself over her lap. In a flash of gold, she brought her wings out to wrap around the two of them, smiling a bit when the blonde looked at them in awe. She couldn’t help herself…it didn’t matter how many times Vaggie brought them out, they were still absolutely gorgeous. The most beautiful things she had ever seen even, second only to the person they came from. She reached out on instinct to start fixing some of the feathers that were out of place while her girlfriend continued to talk. “Besides, this is usually the time I start waking up to work out. I’m only not because we’re supposed to be on vacation.”

Charlie pouted playfully. “Are you trying to imply that I was working while you were asleep? I would never.” “Hon…”

“Okay, maybe I would have, but I wasn’t, I swear! The most amount of work I was doing was trying to figure out what we were going to do today.” She quickly explained herself.

“You mean you don’t have everything completely planned yet?” Vaggie asked, raising a brow.

“No, well…not exactly, at least. We do different things every year since there are various ways to celebrate the holidays. Sinsmas is far more prevalent in the other ring than it is in Pride since the Sinners tend to celebrate whatever holiday they did in their living life. It’s typically the Hellborn that celebrate, and there are plenty of different things that happen throughout the Seven Rings. Because of that, I offered to plan this year, but might have gotten a little stuck when it came to today’s activity. No worries because I got it all figured out in the end.” Charlie grinned proudly as she gently pulled out a broken feather, setting it aside.

“Oh, did you now?” The agnel hummed out her response. It was clear the preening was relaxing her as she rested her head on Charlie’s shoulder.

“Mmhmm, sure did.” She murmured as she moved onto the other wing. “Down in the Lust Ring my Uncle Ozzy and Aunt Bee host a Festival of Lights for the holidays. I think that would be perfect for us to do this evening.”

“In the Lust Ring?” Skepticism was clear in Vaggie’s voice, but Charlie just shook her head.

“Don’t worry, he keeps it family friendly, though he does have a more…Ring appropriate Festival for the holidays as well, but we’ll avoid that one. If you were interested though…” Charlie snorted out a laugh as Vaggie scoffed in playful disgust.

“Charlotte Morningstar! In your family home? Where your father is making breakfast only a few rooms away?” The angel gasped out.

“I was only joking! Unless…?” Charlie laughed out again as Vaggie very quickly shut her up with a kiss.

“Stop putting ideas like that into my head before I follow through on them.” Vaggie cupped her cheeks. When it was clear the Princess was done preening for the moment, she let her wings fold back in before dismissing them completely. “But in all seriousness, going to see your Uncle’s fancy light set up sounds like a lot of fun. I’d love for us to do that, hon.”

Charlie smiled warmly and brushed back some of her bangs that covered her scarred eye socket before pressing a gentle kiss to it. “Well then, we better get cleaned up and ready for the day then, shouldn’t we?”

“As long as you can keep your hands to yourself, I suppose we probably should.”

-

Turns out, the Festival was the perfect idea for the evening. Her parents had all but jumped on the idea, agreeing that the three of them hadn’t been in forever, even before everything that had happened between them. What Charlie forgot to take into account was the fact that this would also be the first time Vaggie would potentially be meeting her extended family as well. Which left her with one mission:

To avoid them at all costs.

While it had been a success between Vaggie and her parents, Charlie could easily acknowledge that her Aunts and Uncles across the various Rings were a little…overwhelming if one wasn’t already used to them. And even if someone was used to their antics, they could still be too much. When it came to a celebration like this, they certainly liked to go overboard in making sure everybody was having a good time, but she had a plan and if everything went according to it, she would be able to give Vaggie her gift that evening. It was currently sitting in her pocket with a little ribbon tied around it as it was the best solution she had to wrapping it. Either way, she could only hope her girlfriend liked it.

“Charlie? Are you okay?” Speaking of her girlfriend, Vaggie was currently looking up at her with slight concern. She must have been talking and just like the absolute ditz Charlie was, she was too focused on other things to have even noticed. She just smiled and nodded at the angel.

“Of course, just too caught up at how pretty you are under all these lights, babe.”

That wasn’t a lie. Well, not completely at least. Vaggie was somehow even more stunning with the various colored lights around. She had somehow been convinced to wear one of the holiday sweaters Charlie had gifted her before their visit, and the silver in her hair perfectly reflected the various blues, reds, greens, golds, and every other color that the Festival grounds had been decorated in. Even past the slight concern in her gaze, she could see the curiosity shine through her golden eye as Vaggie took everything in.

“Alright, hon, if you say so.” Vaggie hummed as she looked around. Charlie’s parents had opted to leave the two of them alone for the evening as they went off ahead. She laced her fingers with her girlfriend’s and tugged her gently to the start of the walking path that was the best way to see the complete set up.

“Really, somehow you seem to dull everything in comparison to how beautiful you are at this very moment.” The Princess grinned and set a casual pace in their stroll to let Vaggie explore as she pleased. There were various other side paths and secret areas set up, and Charlie knew of the perfect one towards the end of the walk that the two of them could escape to where she could give her her holiday gift.

“Well, now I think you’re just flattering me.” Vaggie shot her a teasing smile, bumping her hip against hers as the two of them walked.

“Maybe so, but I’ll never be tired of talking about your beauty. Hell, I could write songs about it!”

“You can and you have, babe.” The shorter woman snorted. “Remember our first anniversary? I keep that CD you gave me in a safe place just to go back to listen to whenever I’m having a bad day or if I’m missing you.”

“I might just make a follow up to it then. Of just how happy you make me and how much better life is in Hell with you in it.” Charlie suggested, grinning down at her.

“I have no doubt you would, and I would listen to it just as much.” Vaggie rolled her eyes playfully.

“Now you’re just telling me what I want to hear.”

“Is it working?”

“Yes.” Charlie chuckled. Vaggie joined in for a moment before resting her head on her shoulder as they walked.

Around them, various Hellborn families milled about. Young children would occasionally run on ahead of their parents while others stayed close or on shoulders admiring the lights. Charlie was incredibly happy the event was kept free to give everyone who could travel to it the chance to experience it. There were other Festivals held in other Rings that were…less than inclusive, but held a lot of appeal to those who could afford the exclusivity of it. She had always wanted to start her own in the Pride Ring, but with everything else going on, there had never been any time for it. She made a mental note to bring it up to Vaggie when the Hotel was a little more stable in its business.

There wasn’t a lot of talking between the two of them as they continued to just walk under the various lights set up for everyone to enjoy. Holiday music played through speakers and the atmosphere was just right for idle chatter that held no real meaning. Eventually, though, Charlie saw her goal. A small gazebo set up with various icicle lights and glowing flowers. It was graciously empty as it was hidden slightly around the corner from the main path. She locked in and started gently guiding Vaggie over to it, but before she got the chance, a bellowing voice stopped them in their path.

“Charlotte Morningstar! Where the Hell do you get off avoiding me?”

Charlie cringed when she heard the unmistakable voice of the host of the event. She loved her Uncle, she really did, but when she had a goal that she really wanted to succeed in, he was the last person she wanted to see. Now that she had been spotted, however, there was no escaping him. Vaggie looked up at her in confusion.

“Hon?”

“Babe? Don’t freak out, but you are about to meet the Prince of the Lust Ring himself and he’s probably going to hug you because he really doesn’t do handshakes.” Charlie quickly murmured under her breath before the tall Sin himself finally managed to get in front of the two girls. He wore a look of fake hurt as he looked at his niece.

“Baby, you always come see me during the Festival! When I saw your parents walking around I just knew you were around here somewhere as well. I haven’t seen you here in years and you thought you could get away without a simple hello?” Ozzy frowned. Charlie could hear the genuine pain in his voice. He had always been one for their relationship, being only one of the few to keep up with it despite the fallout in her actual family. She sighed.

“I’m sorry, Oz. I just wanted to make sure Vaggie got the full experience of the Festival since she’s never been. It must have just slipped my mind because I thought you were going to be busy.” Charlie explained, hoping it would be a good enough excuse.

“You know I’m never too busy for you. Especially when you haven’t even introduced me to your girlfriend yet. How long have you two been dating and I haven’t even seen her once.” He crossed his arms.

“Almost four years now?” Charlie thought about it, but shook her head. “That’s not what’s important right now. I’m sorry I haven’t introduced you yet, but there’s one last place I really wanted to show her before we were done with the walk and then we can catch up, okay?”

“Nonsense, you can show her later! I’m over here because Bee happened to catch the two of you walking through and is also upset you haven’t greeted her yet either.”

Charlie groaned inwardly, but managed to keep a smile on her face. What was so hard about trying to get Vaggie somewhere a little bit more private to give her her holiday gift? Everything apparently as Asmodeus was suddenly behind the two of them, ushering them out of the main walkway and towards the refreshments where a playfully angry Beelzebub was waiting for them. “Ozzy, wait-!”

Vaggie glanced over at her, raising a brow. “I don’t mind meeting your other family members right now, Charlie, really. You said we were almost done walking the main path anyways, right?”

The blonde gave her a helpless look before sighing and giving up. If her girlfriend was invested in meeting the Sins, then meeting the Sins is what they were going to do, even if it was the last thing Charlie wanted. Anything to make her girlfriend happy.

Well, as it turns out, making her girlfriend happy included spending a couple more hours with both Asmodeus and Beelzebub as they got to know her and the entire story of their relationship over some hot cider. By the time the two of them were finally willing to let them go, the Festival was winding down for the evening and Charlie could see it in her face that Vaggie was ready to go home. She shot one last desperate glance back at the gazebo that had been her original goal before sighing and leading the tired angel back to the limo where her parents were waiting patiently to return back home with them.

It didn’t take long for them to quickly get settled back into bed once they had returned to the Manor, with Vaggie right where she belonged in Charlie’s arms, her head resting on her chest. At first, the Princess had thought she had fallen asleep just as quickly as they had gotten settled, but when Vaggie’s tired voice spoke up, she answered.

“Mi amor?”

“Yeah?”

“Thank you. For today, I mean…the Festival was absolutely beautiful and meeting some of your other family members was fun as well.” Charlie chuckled softly and kissed the top of her head. She thought back to the gift she had planned to give Vaggie that evening that was now tucked up in the desk drawer again. There would be other opportunities that week to give it to her, she was sure of it, but for now, her heart was full just knowing her girlfriend had enjoyed the day. As she brought the blankets up, Vaggie’s wings came back out to wrap around them again, cocooning them in her warmth and love.

“I’m glad you had fun, Vaggie. I would plan this and more for you every single day if I could. Now get some sleep, okay?”

“Mm, okay. Charlie?”

“Yes?”

“I love you.”

“I love you too.”