Lamia's Pet

If You Love Something

Pandora watched over Peter's sleeping form, as his chest rose and fell, his mouth ever so slightly ajar and his arms above his head. A peaceful expression on his face. Just like a child. Pandora lied beside him, her tail, as usual, wrapped up to his waist. It was still a mystery to her as to how they coincidentally managed to come together as they have. A bigger mystery still that they shared mutual feelings.

Be it luck or fate, Pandora was thankful. With the back of her hand she gently brushed against his cheek. It was hard to grasp how much he meant to her, even after they both confessed. Peter fell asleep in her arms so easily, and she could hardly imagine sleep without him in her coils and against her body. In such a short period of time they'd grown so close. But to some, that time was not so short. To some that time had been an eternity.

Sitting up Pandora gazed at the open cell that Virgil slept in. While they have had their disagreements, she could easily see that Virgil loved his brother very much. Despite his dislike for her he still tried to accept, or at least tolerate her for his brother. In a way, that was surprisingly open minded and kind. To bend his knee for his younger brother so that he may be happy. Even when what Peter wants is to give himself to a Lamia.

Was that what it meant to love someone? To let them do as they wished even if you disagree with their choices? To let them be free even when you're worried for them...

Virgil came searching for his brother, and he indeed found him, but his task is incomplete. He has yet to bring his brother home. To a family who no doubt misses him dearly and are concerned for his safety. They do not even know that he is alive.

All thanks to Pandora...

When Pandora was born, she was cared for by her mother, she had no sisters or father to speak of. Only she and her mother. One day, her mother left and never came back. Sometimes Pandora would ponder if her mother had abandoned her or had been killed. The thought was cruel, because in one hand she felt as though she should be angry, and in the other she should mourn. But the end result was the same. Pandora was alone in the world. Family was an alien concept to her. Having someone to depend on or seek comfort from... to be loved despite one's flaws, unconditionally. Long ago she had pushed those thoughts away, knowing that family was not something she was able to obtain.

Would she take that away from Peter? To wretch a loved one away from a family never to return because a monster was so selfishly in love with them? While Peter seemingly had no reservations, Pandora did. Did he truly understand what he would lose by being with her? There was no chance that his family would accept her. Virgil only tolerated her because he loved his brother so. Could the same be said of his uncle and mother? Not only that, but their village would never allow her presence. They would be outcast, surely, no matter who they are. Once again due to her.

It seemed that a choice had to be made. One that Peter would no doubt despise to hear. As would Pandora, but this was something that was bigger than the two of them. It wasn't solely Pandora who loved Peter, his uncle, mother, and Virgil all loved him as much as she did. Perhaps even more so with his absence.

With a staggered sigh, Pandora unfurled her coils from Peter's body. Leaning down, she placed a kiss upon his lips. In his sleep, a small smile stretched along his cheeks.

Such a sweet boy...

Stealthily, she made her way to Virgil's room. It was no surprise to find Virgil sprawled out in a heap. Lying on his belly with one arm and one leg hanging off the bed and out of the covers, with his mouth gaping with a small trail of drool spilling out. How is it that him and Peter were even related?

"Virgil." Pandora whispered, shaking him slightly. No response. "Virgil, wake up."

A snort came as he sharply inhaled, "a few more minutes, please, mum."