No matter the volume of the cries and sobs coming from the children, the chapel still felt empty and un-accommodating, especially to Eva.
None of the other siblings are even hiding their lack of mental presence even with each of their children burying themselves into their parents, mourning the loss of someone who was, in a vacuum, a decent grandmother, but was only a mother solely by technicality.
The witch inside her cackles with pure glee and relief while nothing except guilt engulfs Eva whole as her gaze rests on the sight of Natsuhi wearing nothing but an unsuited thousand-yard stare, make-up already ruined before they even began the memorial service. She swallows down the inappropriate appearance of bile that rises up at the sight of Rosa pulling Natsuhi towards her so that she can lay Natsuhi’s head on her shoulder. The grief must’ve consumed her whole by now, if her lack of resistance to physical comfort is anything to judge by.
Feeling the vibrations of George’s sobs against her chest worsens the guilt. Her internal apologies towards not only her son, but her niblings as well, do nothing to ease the pain of the anxiety butterflies violently throwing themselves against the walls of her body.
Against her control, she can sense herself slipping from reality, her mind desperate for a temporary break from reality. Instead of fighting it like she usually would, she only has energy to accept her mind’s pleas.
As her mind slowly leaves reality for anywhere better, the last set of flashbacks the witch ‘lovingly’ gifts her are the ones that she’s memorized off by heart at this point.
The scent of peppermint and liquorice in an unassuming bedroom that its resident calls a home.
The quality material of a recognizable night gown being worn by an unforgettably soft sleepy body blessing her palms.
Warm welcoming lips colliding with her very own, the sensation still making her lips tingle to this very moment. However the surprising confidence and familiarity in her movements and words should’ve clued her in on something… Off, in hindsight.
But unfortunately for her, she would not pick up on anything amiss (getting too distracted with memorizing each any every inch of Natsuhi she had been allowed to access) until the very end of their moment, the atmosphere had turned to ice at the very last conscious words the soft lips that danced with her own muttered in the most coquettish voice she’s ever heard in her life.
“Goodnight, Mother~”
… Funny how the last words Natsuhi would let out before said sister-in-law succumbed to the land of dreams would also become the same exact words mother dearest would hear before succumbing to the very end of her numbered days...