Rachael walked in on her stepfather with another woman.
“So that's what mummy gets for her elder birthday?” she asked with a sneer.
“Bean sprout, you don't understand.”
She really didn't understand. Marvin and Zo Whelohff were friends, and he knew about Zo's personal life. She was very happy with her boyfriend, Jeffrey Castor, but he was a vampire and she didn't want any vampiric children. Zo got word of Justin Kayes and his willingness to father children with anyone who needed it.
But somehow, Justin was unsuccessful in getting Zo to conceive.
He walked out the theatre quite joyous one day. He took one of new friends, Bunny Curious, out to see a movie. The two of them didn't even care what movie it was; Bunny just liked the thought of a nooboo being made in the back row, and Justin was okay with such a thrilling idea. She was a little sad that both of her parents passed away without seeing any grandchildren, and she heard about Justin's little donation scheme through the Twinbrook rumor mill.
Rachael still didn't like it.
At least she could paint to get her mind off all the new things in her life. The strange schemes of her stepfather, the conflicting feelings about Matilde, the realization that she was a Clavicula for life. It wasn't quite what Rachael was told.
The household had its own surprises.
“Gross, what did I get myself into?” Rachael recoiled at the sight of the spectre.
“I can't believe my little girl is already in her twenties.”
“How do you-”
“It's dad.”
She started to smile. “Mum always had good things to say about you.”
And someone was creeping up behind Harwood.
“Dear watcher, I'm in enemy territory.”
“Come on dad, it's just Marc.”
“Just get away from this man. He was almost your father, after all,” said Harwood before he vanished into the aether, beyond the whims of Marc.
Marc still felt some animosity towards the whole debacle with Harwood and Amy. Just when he thought that he found the right woman, she turned out to be just so fickle by falling for two different men in rapid succession (however, Marc and Justin were on fine terms).
Though the lovely fairy across the bridge wasn't too far of a downgrade. Blaise was single and still searching for some stability in her prolonged life, and while Marc wasn't particularly stable commitment-wise, he was so charming.
And nine months later, Blaise paid a visit with nooboo Kristie in her arms. Rachael said that Marc would just push her aside. “Apparently that's what he did to mum.”
In between dates with Blaise, he took over the job that Charmaine left unfinished. Painting was more of Marc's thing, but his attention to detail in sculpting caught the attention of Marvin.
Marvin's attention was unfocused. Losing Charmaine derailed him, and he wanted to act like an immortal, playing arcade games in his pajamas. There was so much left to do with the years slipping away.
His attempts at befriending the Greenwoods weren't so great. Jade didn't need someone else lecturing her about stopping waste dumping in Twinbrook, while criticizing her family all the same.
Instead, Marvin gave a reading to a chunky werewolf. “In one life, you had a beautiful son. And I can see that happening all over again.”
“Get your paws out of my face.”
And Justin walked away from a portrait he swore was his greatest work.
Things were mostly going well, but Marvin still had to prove that the fortune-telling empire of Marvin's Mediums was viable before he could proclaim himself to be the world's top mystic.
The stress from that made him sick. He worked only weekends, and the promotions were more spaced out as he found his body feeling more frail.
There were temptations. Lincoln added a dash of pepper to Marvin's secret recipe of Ambrosia. Maybe it wasn't so secret, since Marvin needed Lincoln to cook it for him and that meant mortal Lincoln knowing the recipe perfectly.
He put it in the replicator, giving Marvin weeks' worth of a life-sustaining mystery meal. Marv just wanted a bite, just to feel like he had the strength to reach his own finish line. Life was going by too quickly. Marvin's little girl was going to turn 18.
He smustled in the morning, unaware of what would pain his evening.
“Bad time,” Justin said under his breath as he ascended a tiny bit.
Justin watched the crowd, filled with his children and his housemates who all had to watch him die when they just wanted a birthday party. He knew how to approach death in front of them.
“I haven't felt this good in ages. Just give me some more years here?”
“Negative, Justin Kayes. You know the way out.”
And then Justin left. He left behind a museum of portraits, a beautiful fiancee, six children, and two stepdaughters. And in spite of such a legacy, he wanted a bit more of that joy.
Matilde should have been mourning, but it was already 20:30. The guests were leaving in droves after Justin's death, and even in mourning, she didn't want to grow up alone. A wish was muttered under her breath. "I want time to make the right decision."
“God, I wish uncle Justin was here too.”
Bunny and Marc still cheered her on as a wave of sparkles attacked Matilde. Before finding herself older and wiser, Matilde had one remark.
“What's with the new shirt, Buns?”
“Oh, uh, that's a long story.”
---
I really,
really miss Justin. I didn't even think it was possible to love a live-in as much as I loved Justin. He was such a joy to play, and always a big sweetie towards everyone.
I'm getting teary-eyed now.
Felix? Wow. The game is talking to you, Trip.
I hope he ages up with blue hair and eventually a mohawk. It's the only acceptable thing for Felix 2.0.
(I have no idea if I'll have a use for this Felix, but heck, it's still awesome)
