Cerberus' Heart

Cerberus' Heart 12

The next morning, I set about making pancakes for breakfast. Violet had been hinting not so subtly about her love for breakfast pancakes. Pulling out some honey from the pantry and a packet of castor sugar, with a potful of raspberries, I re-entered the kitchen. I placed the honey onto the kitchen counter near the recently done pancakes and moved to the stove.

Placing the pot full of raspberries on the gas, I added the sugar and let it simmer for a few minutes. Removing it from the stove, I stirred it a a little, placing a few of the raspberries onto the stack of pancakes and drizzling some of the juice at the bottom of the pot onto the plate around the pancakes, forming a pretty reddish pink ring on the white porcelain plate.

Within a few seconds of doing this, Violet rushed into the kitchen, skidding from the hallway. I stiffled my laughter. On her face was a big smile, a tiny bit of drool dribbling down her chin and her eyes were dancing with complete and utter joy. She rushed to her seat, sat down, picked up the honey bottle and drenched her pancakes in the stuff before finally picking up her knife and fork, and digging in.

She hurriedly shoveled forkfuls of pancakes and honey into her mouth. Finally, after gouging on almost all of her stack, she got around to wiping the trails of both drool and honey from around her mouth. Sighing, she leaned back on her chair, patting her full stomach. I sat across from her, watching it all play out with a small smile on my face.

"Ugh, stupid Edgelord, be my hubby," she groaned, rolling her head to the face the ceiling.

Choking on air, I sputtered, "Wha-what?" it being completely lost on me from where this suddenly sprang up from.

"Be. My. Hubby," she enunciated each word. My eyes nearly fell out of my head. I ducked my head underneath my arms, my forehead against the countertop, groaning, "That's a terrible joke, Ms. Violet. Please refrain from doing that," I muttered.

"It's not a joke," she said, gazing at me seriously. I remained looking at her from the safety of my little cage made by my arms.

"Are you drunk?" I ventured.

"Wha-?" it was her turn to sputter.

"Are you drunk?" I asked once more.

"On what?"

"Sugar?" I tried.

"You're terrible, you know that!", she yelled, pointing an accusing finger at me.

"Then, pregnant?" I guessed.

"My God, no! What the heck?!" she yelled, appalled.

"I mean, you're spouting nonsense and then suffering from moodswings," I listed off.

She glowered at me, a scowl on her face. "Just because I say I want you to be my hubby and then flip out on you when you say something stupid, does not make me pregnant!" she yelled, throwing her fork at me.

I ducked further under my arms. The sound of the wooden legs scrapping against the floor and then the slap of her shoes against the tiles alerted me to her leaving the vicinity. Soon I heard her bedroom door slam shut and I knew it was safe for me to walk about. Releasing a deep breath, I slinked out of my chair and set about cleaning the dishes and in the hopes of giving Violet enough time to cool down.

It had been a hour since Violet left to her room and yet, just outside her room, I was pacing back and forth, trying to work up the courage to face her once more. Glancing out the window at the end of the corridor, I saw the bright sky. It had been a couple of days since the blue had peeked out from the grey and white clouds. The sight was a welcome one.

Sighing, I turned back to face her door. Raising my knuckles, I rapped them on the thick wood. I heard shuffling on the other side, before the door opened a smidge. She peeked out one eye that glowered at me. Gulping, I forced out, "I need to go somewhere so we're heading out."

"I don't see how I need to be involved," was her cold reply.

"Did you forget already?" I asked.

She remained silent. "There is someone out to get you. Alive or dead," I reminded grimly. She still remained silent but I could see the gears turning in her head.

"So you want me to come with so that I don't get kidnapped?" She enquired.

"Not exactly. More like so you don't get killed," I began. She raised an eyebrow. "I'm leaving you somewhere else. With someone I trust." She casted me a wary look. I ignored it. "So I want you to get ready. There should be some clothes of Isadora's within the wardrobe. Pick something out and meet me downstairs within the hour," I said, turning to leave and get prepared myself.

~~~~~~~

Within the hour, I was downstairs by the reception hall awaiting Violet's arrival. She came down a minute later, dressed in a tan codroy pants and a white frilled blouse, over which rested a smart fur jacket of a dark coal grey. Handing her a spare coat, she draped it over her outfit and snuggled into the fleece lining. Placing the hood on her head and zipping the coat all the way to the top, caused her to send me an irritated look over the collar.

I sent her a smug grin in reply and turned to open the entrance doors. Frigid air whipped past us and I heard Violet shiver behind me. Once out on the doorstep, I held Violet to my side as I shut the doors. I heard the faint rush of blood and glanced down to see a red faced Violet. "Too cold?" I asked. In response, she gave me a stiff nod, looking anywhere but me.

Lifting her up into my arms, she yelled, "Hey!" The rest of her complaints are left behind as the world blurs around us. Her grip tighten around my neck and her body subconsciously curled closer to a source of stability, that in this case being me. I casted her a small smile but it seemed to provide little reprieve in light of the blurring world around us.

Arriving in a alleyway, I set her down slowly, holding her shoulders steady till she stood steadily on her own two feet. Once her dizziness dispelled, she wobbly whispered through an equally wobbly smile, "I had no idea you guys could move that fast. That was... intense; to say the least." I nodded silently. Grabbing her hand, I led her out of the alleyway and into a bustling street.

The sound of blood rushing again, caused me to glance back at her only to see her more red-faced than before. Stiffling a chuckle and settling for a smile instead, I raised my arm, beckoning her to my side. She halted, looking like a deer caught in headlights. Puzzled, I stopped too, rather moving closer to inspect her seemingly redder face. She took a few quick steps back, her eyes wide with shock at my sudden approach. I moved closer till finally I resorted to holding her in place. Removing my glove from one hand, I placed my bare palm against her forehead. Her temperature did seem a little higher than normal. Did she perhaps come down with something? Did I mistaken it for her blushing? Cussing, I slipped my glove back on and brought her once again to my side despite her protests, moving us along the sidewalk with quick and purposeful strides to our destination.