Chapter Text
Moving On
“Are you sure ShadowHaunt is where you want to set up?” Griffin asked, glancing up in Valkyrie’s direction as she finished up with a box.
Valkyrie gave a slow nod. “Yeah, I am.” She set the clothes she was packing aside, making sure to look her mother in the eyes.
“Don’t get me wrong, I’d love to stay here and work on my theories with you… But this is-”
“Something you have to do for yourself.” Griffin finished her thought with a smile. Valkyrie flashed a sheepish smile, a flush coming to her face. “Believe me, I understand. I was young and determined to make my own way too…” She paused, shaking her head. “Though I think your way is going to go a lot better than mine did.”
Valkyrie couldn’t help but laugh. “I hope so. No offense, Mom, but joining a cult wasn’t exactly your best moment.”
Griffin snorted. “In my defense, they weren’t exactly showing signs of being a cult when I joined… It was more of a rebellion back then…”
“Right. A rebellion with compulsory blood bonding and the end goal of genocide.”
“At least I left.” Griffin pointed out, finishing up her portion. (She’d agreed to help Valkyrie pack for her move-in to ShadowHaunt the next day, though it was with reluctance.)
She knew it was going to be difficult for them both. They’d always been close. But she needed her space for her work, just as Griffin needed hers.
“True. And you did sort of get me out of the deal…” Valkyrie snickered. “And let’s face it, I’m pretty damn amazing.” Griffin gave a choked off laugh.
“That’s yet to be determined. You’re still young, which means its still too early to decide if it was worth it.” Griffin teased. Valkyrie gave a mock pout.
“Moooom.”
Griffin snickered. “How about this? You’re the best thing to come from your father. That good enough?”
Valkyrie rolled her eyes. “I guess it’ll do.” She laughed, finishing up her own bit. “You know… I’m gonna miss this. Just talking to you and coming to you about everything…” It was a soft admission, a hard one.
Griffin moved from the bed to sit in the floor with Valkyrie, an arm wrapping around the younger witch. “I am too.” She gave Valkyrie’s shoulder a squeeze. “Since you were born, I’ve never had to spend more than a week at a time away from you. I never wanted to. I was always so… Worried about what could happen if you were out of my sight.”
“But you’ve shown me that… While not a fully grown witch, at least, not life experience wise… You are a strong one. Strong-willed and determined and unwilling to compromise who you are. And smart. You are so smart… Even if you have that tendency to just charge headfirst into danger.” Griffin kissed the top of her head.
“And all of that tells me that you will do fine on your own… That even though I’m going to worry like hell just for the simple fact I’m your mother and I’m going to worry, doesn’t mean that I don’t think you’ll be fine. You will be.” Griffin paused. “I, on the other hand, am probably going to go gray early just thinking about what you could be getting into.”
Valkyrie gave a slight laugh, snuggling close to her mother. “Yeah… I do have a hard time keeping out of trouble… Though in my defense, I don’t go looking for it… It tends to find me.”
Griffin tsked. “It’s that small part of you that’s your father’s side. You couldn’t leave him alone for more than an hour at a time or he’d find something to get into… Or some sort of trouble to stir up…”
Valkyrie wrinkled her nose. “I’m not that bad…”
“Debatable.” Griffin nudged her slightly. “Now… I say we order in from Jinxes’ and have a movie marathon… It might be our last for a while.”
Valkyrie moved to stand up. “Don’t worry, Mom. You know I’ll visit often.” She paused. “And depending on what sort of trouble I find myself in while I go researching dead realms and how they relate to the element of Death… I may be hiding out here from time to time.”
Griffin shot her a look. “You better not bring any ancient curses or hexes here, Valkyrie. Last time something like that got loose in this house, it took a full-on exorcism to get rid of it.” A warning.
Valkyrie grinned, trying her best for innocence. “I would never.”
“Right. Just like you’d never step into a basilisks’ nest?”
The younger witch groaned. “Why do you always bring that back up? I was young and stupid… And I have a phobia of basically all serpents now. Isn’t that bad enough?”
Griffin hummed. “I just like reminding you that things happen…”
“I’ll be careful. Promise.”
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Jinxes’ and movies were always going to be the best combination in Valkyrie’s eyes, especially with her mother and Cheshire.
They were currently making fun of some lame romance movie that had dared come on one of the channels, the clichés over done and the cookie-cutter actors seeming more and more as if they’d come from some dime store novel.
“Where do they find these people anyway? They don’t seem to have any real emotion… Aside from being able to cry at the drop of a spell.” Griffin tsked. Valkyrie snorted.
“I don’t know… And why all this drama for some guy who isn’t even that cute?” She felt her mother’s eyes on her, giving her a look. “What? I may be a lesbian, but I’ve hung around Crystal and Morgan long enough that I know what constitutes as a ‘cute guy’.” Valkyrie put the phrase in air quotes.
Griffin snickered. “Or at least, what they find cute?”
Valkyrie groaned. “Well… They have some taste. I mean, Kota’s a pain in the ass, but he’s funny and sort of got that shaggy-wizard look going for him… And Helia’s a poetic sort, so that’s got to generate interest…? Right?”
“You are asking the wrong witch… I’ve tried to keep away from the whole mess romance creates.” Griffin waved her hand. Valkyrie felt herself grin, mischief twinkling in her eyes.
“Mom… You know, I’m going to be out of the house now. You could start dating again…” Valkyrie teased. Griffin shot her a look, eyes glowering.
“I’d rather not.”
“Just because he was a disaster, doesn’t mean they’re all going to be disasters…” Valkyrie nudged her mother’s shoulder. “Even Faragonda’s given Hagen a second chance…”
“Valkyrie, I’m fine with my friends and my family and my work and you. I’d rather not have to add another person to worry about into my life…” Griffin argued. Cheshire raised up from where he was laying on the back of the couch, hopping down into Griffin’s lap.
He gave a slight purr, his golden eyes seeming to tease the older witch. “See, Mom? Even Cheshire thinks it’s a good idea. And its not like you have to marry or be serious… Just maybe date here or there. You never know.” Valkyrie teased.
Griffin groaned, rolling her eyes. “If I agree to be more open to the possibility of dating, will you drop the subject so we can get back to making fun of these horrible movies?”
Valkyrie laid her head on her mom’s shoulder. “That’s all I wanted to hear, Mommy Dearest.”
Griffin swore softly. That was never a good sign.
Valkyrie couldn’t help but grin. She just wanted her mother to be happy. And sometimes other people could bring just that smidge of happiness. Something her mother deserved.
(And it’s not like she wouldn’t vet her mother’s partner if they ever got serious. Griffin deserved someone to treat her with respect and love and care, and Valkyrie would make sure that’s what she got.)