Sing me something soft, sad and delicate, or loud and out of key Who: Isaiah, Winifred, and Isaiah’s family (all NPCs) Where: The Court --> The Williamson home When: Early evening
The demons weren’t even here yet, and Isaiah could already feel the churning start in his stomach. This was pure worry, and he knew enough to tell the difference - it would be far worse when he got near one of those things. Isaiah was trying to avoid that at any costs, and to keep everyone he knew safe at the same time. That was why he’d sent out that text to Winifred, knowing she was still new in town and probably didn’t have anywhere else to go. He was more than glad to help her out, and he knew that his parents would feel the same way. If Isaiah said she was good people, then she was good people. His parents trusted his instincts on that.
Still, it would have been better if they were coming to his family’s house for the first time under better circumstances. It seemed everyone he brought home lately was because of something disastrous had happened, but at least this time no one was hurt, and no one was going to be either. Winifred had followed him all the way from the Court, so that way she wouldn’t be without her truck while they waited all this out. There was no way Josiah and Adrie would let any of them leave before the danger had passed, but Isaiah was okay with that. So long as he knew where his family was, he could deal with being stuck in the house, feet stuck to the ground too.
He pulled up to the house, killing the engine on the motorcycle. Making sure his bag was still over his shoulder, Isaiah climbed off the shadow and watched Winifred drive up behind him.
Since Isaiah was the only way Winifred had known about the impending demon attack, the Texan felt doubly grateful that he’d also offered to let her stay with his family. She’d been stricken with an unknown panic ever since she’d heard the news, and frankly, she was glad that she’d be with someone she trusted. She knew next to nothing about demons, save for the fact that they would probably want to make her into a snack if they were to get close. She could remember when the demons attacked last, but her mother’s wards and blessings were so extensive that their entire property had been demon-proof. Not to mention the fact that most of the attacks in Texas had occurred in the bigger cities, like Houston and Dallas.
Now, in the face of having to live through an attack, Winifred was terrified. Sure, she had her own wards and blessings, and she still wore the talisman that Jacques gave her, but she still worried it wouldn’t be enough. Her hands shook on the steering wheel as she followed behind Isaiah on his bike. The drive wasn’t very far, as he’d promised, and as soon as she pulled up she fulfilled hers. Grabbing her half-full duffel bag of clothes, she burst out of her truck and ran full-tilt towards Isaiah. Sure, she was probably overreacting, but she didn’t want to be outside any longer than she had to, especially in the dark. She flung her arms around the man, her duffel bag shifting on her back with the momentum. She trembled as she clung to him, her whole body shaking with a strange mixture of relief and terror.
Winifred knew in that moment that she was safe, even if it was night. Even if they were still outside. She pulled away and looked up at Isaiah, humor flashing in her eyes behind the fear. “You have no idea how long a drive that seemed.”
He could feel her shaking almost before she actually grabbed a hold of him. The first thing Isaiah did was rub her back softly and just held her there, knowing that this might be helping her more than anything else was. He couldn’t feel the wards, but he knew they were there, blessed with his mother’s blood, no less. You couldn’t find a safer place in town than right here. “We’re here now, you don’t have anything to worry about, I promise,” he reminded her again, waiting until a few good minutes had passed before he let her go. Then, Isaiah reached over and adjusted her back on her shoulder. “Come on, let’s go in.” And then the real trial would begin, because it was hard to introduce people to his family when they weren’t prepared for it.
At least Lizzy would wait to interrogate him about Winifred until the other witch was out of sight, Isaiah had that to be grateful for.
Hooking an arm around Winifred’s waist, he led her up to the front door. It was unlocked - his parents knew he was coming - and he pushed it open for her to go through. The house seemed surprisingly quiet, but then he heard it, little footsteps running towards him. “SAI’S HERE, SAI’S HERE, SAI’S HERE!” It was the shrieking voice of a seven-year-old girl, blond hair bouncing behind her as she ran up to him.
“Hey there, Joce.” Isaiah scooped her up, balancing her on his hip. “You’re excited today.” He glanced over at Winifred, “This is my youngest sister, Jocelyn. Jocelyn, this is Winifred, she’s a friend of mine.”
Jocelyn gave Winifred a little smile. “Hello! Are you the girl Mom said is going to stay with us?”
It wasn’t so much the wards that made Winifred feel safe, because she could definitely feel them. They made the night feel peaceful and calm, and helped to slow the rapid thudding of her pulse as she squeezed Isaiah against her. Mostly it was the way she instantly felt at ease in the arms in which she was currently standing. Winifred nuzzled her cheek into Isaiah’s warm chest, his hands on her back reassuring and welcome. When he drew away, she had a brilliant smile on her face, completely at odds with the way she usually handled the night. “I know. Thanks for letting me intrude.” Okay, so maybe an invitation wasn’t the same thing as an intrusion, but she didn’t necessarily feel like this was the best time or way to meet his parents. Winifred blanched a bit at that, her face going pale.
She was not prepared for this. “Okay.” She gulped down a huge breath of air as Isaiah led her inside, her hand going up to hold the one he’d placed around her waist. A few more steps and they would be safe inside, and out of the darkness. Once he’d opened the door, Winifred stepped through, lingering by the door and watching Isaiah for her next cue. Which incidentally came from another person altogether. Winifred couldn’t help but smile as a blonde little ball of energy came running at her big brother. “Nice to meet you, Jocelyn!” She reached over to offer her hand to the girl, her smile softening as she watched Isaiah with her. He really was a sweet guy, and you didn’t have to know him well to see how much his family meant to him.
“Yes, that’s me, so long as no one has any complaints.” Accent aside, Winifred thought that she wasn’t too strange of a person. And she instantly felt more comfortable with all the white magic in the air, almost like home. Unexpected tears stung at her eyes and she blinked them away before they could fall. It’s a good thing you’re not ripe for a meltdown upon first meeting, Win. She chalked it up to the drive and the demons and... But no. She was safe now, Isaiah promised.
The fact that Winifred was smiling was a good sign, and Isaiah knew she’d feel better once they were in the house. Hell, Isaiah himself felt better too, being in the place he’d grown up with all the people who meant the most to him. Even though it meant all the birds in the house were grounded until the danger passed, he could settle with that. And somehow it seemed fitting that it would be Jocelyn who would be the first to meet Winifred.
Isaiah wasn’t worried about Winifred meeting his parents. If she knew he was a falcon, then it wouldn’t be a surprise to learn that his dad was as well, and she already knew about the white magic in his family, so no surprise in learning about the altar room upstairs, either. If he didn’t trust Winifred, then he wouldn’t have brought her here, end of story. She might not realize that, but he did, and he liked the fact he didn’t have to hide this side of his life. He only did so out of necessity, after all - he just wanted to keep his family safe.
Jocelyn looked over at Winifred, then back at her brother, then at Winifred again. “Nice to meet you too,” she said, “why would we complain about you?” She squirmed in Isaiah’s arms a little, her sign that she wanted to be set down on the ground, which he did. “It’s good to have more people here, Mommy said she’s making everything safe and Daddy’s here to make dinner tonight.” Jocelyn tugged on Isaiah’s hand. “You are staying the night, right?”
“That’s the plan.” Honestly, they weren’t going anywhere after this. Jocelyn could feel the demons as well as the rest of them could, but she didn’t really know what that meant yet. Isaiah thought it best to keep her in the dark about that. “Where’s Mom and Dad?”
His sister pointed up towards the ceiling. “Altar room. Mommy and Lizzy were reinforcing the wards and Elijah wants to go flying.”
Winifred definitely felt much safer, and much more calm, even knowing that she would go through the introduction gauntlet. She smiled at Jocelyn, very much taken with her politeness. It was one of the ways to this Texan girl’s heart, and she definitely appreciated it. Plus, kids were so awesome, and gave Winifred all the opportunity she needed to be playful and excited right along with them. “Hmm. Sometimes my accent’s a bit hard to understand?” Winifred shrugged, not really being able to think of any other reason. People either loved her, or they didn’t, and she didn’t really worry about it much.
Winifred’s stomach growled at the mention of dinner, and she remembered how hard it’d been to eat much of anything when she was too worried. “Dinner sounds amazing, if what Isaiah tells me about your father’s cooking is true.” Winifred shot Isaiah a look, wondering just where she would sleep. She colored immediately, her mind racing to her ideal resting spot. But no, she was sure that would not be tolerated, even if all she was thinking about was snuggling with Isaiah. She blinked furiously, shifting her attention back to Jocelyn. Altar room? Winifred’s curiosity sparked and she lifted her brows, her smile turning into a huge grin. “Can we go watch? If its not going to interrupt them, that is. My mother had a small one in our house.”
Shrugging lightly, Winifred just went ahead and stated her real intentions. “Or, in case they need help? I haven’t worked magic with another witch since my mother passed. Unless of course it’s just a family thing...”
So long as Winifred was paying attention to her, the Texan girl was sure to find that Jocelyn could be a very nice, agreeable girl. And besides, Winifred was a friend of Isaiah’s and in the little girl’s mind, that was really all that mattered. “You just sound different,” she said, matter-of-factly, “and that’s kind of cool.” She tugged on her brother’s hand again. “Come ooooon, I want to go watch too!”
Jocelyn would never pick up on that stomach growl, but Isaiah’s ears did, and all it did was make him grin. “Trust me, my dad’s food is excellent,” he reassured Winifred, “and knowing him, he’s probably going to want to do all the work himself tonight.” Isaiah couldn’t blame him, because he would have done the same thing. Tonight, when he couldn’t sleep, then he’d probably be in the kitchen himself, making bread or something just to pass the time. Isaiah was planning on offering Winifred his room, and he’d take the couch, though snuggling did seem like a good idea. He wasn’t the kind of guy to assume anything.
“Lead the way, Joce,” he told his sister, watching her bounce her way up the stairs. Isaiah reached over for Winifred’s hand, lacing their fingers together. “I have no idea if you can help, the magic’s the girls’ thing, not mine. But I’m sure my mom won’t mind.”
The altar room was at the top of the stairs, and it was the one room in the house that always had an open window, especially this time of year. Isaiah himself had flown into the house a million times over the years, and though the room was small, it had all the essentials: a tall shelf against one wall filled with herbs and ingredients for all the medicines and remedies and such the witches made, and a table set up for them to work at. That was where Adriana and Lizzy Williamson were now, working together. Josiah was leaning in the doorway, looking on, and glanced over at his son as he came in the room.
Isaiah nodded his head towards them, “Everything all right?”
His dad shrugged. “I think so.” Josiah turned to face them. “You must be Winifred,” he said, offering her a hand. “I’m Isaiah’s dad, Josiah.” He was still dressed in his clothes from the restaurant, and once he and Isaiah were standing next to each other, there was no doubting they were related.
Winifred was definitely somewhat charmed with Jocelyn, who was both polite and friendly. Smiling, she nodded at her accent being described as ‘cool’. “I like that. Thanks.” Turning to Isaiah, she smirked and gave him the puppy eyes. “Please, Isaiah? Jocelyn and I reeeally want to go!”
At the mention of Isaiah’s father’s cooking, Winifred’s stomach growled a little louder. “Well if your cooking is any indication, then I’m sure he’ll do just as well.” Though she would probably have a hard time calling anyone’s cooking better than Isaiah’s, she would give his father the benefit of the doubt before she made up her mind. Following Jocelyn’s progress up the stairs with her eyes, Winifred blinked and grinned up at Isaiah when his hand found hers. She gave his hand a gentle squeeze as she followed his sister up the stairs, fighting the blush the were-falcon’s nearness nearly always caused. “Well, there’s no harm in asking. Maybe I’ll get to learn something new!”
Once they were up the stairs and into the altar room, Winifred breathed deep the heavenly scent of herbs, and her eyes lit up at the sight of Isaiah’s mother and sister working at the table. She could feel the beginnings of the magic begin to move and it made the hair on the back of her neck stand on end. She lifted her eyes up to Josiah’s face as he offered his hand, and she smiled warmly. “Yes, that’s me. Nice to meet you, sir.” She reached out with her other hand and shook his firmly. Glancing between Josiah and Isaiah, Winifred’s smile grew into something more like a grin. You could definitely tell that they were kin, and where Isaiah got his looks from.
Her gaze went back to the table and the two women working. She felt a little shy in asking, but she figured the most that they could say was ‘no’. “I don’t mean to interrupt ya’ll, but I was wondering if you might need any help? I’d be insulting my mother’s memory if I didn’t offer.” She glanced between the two women, her gaze settling on Isaiah’s mother.
Giving her a chuckle, Isaiah said, “I did learn almost everything I know from him, after all. But at some point, the young apprentice has to overtake the master, right?” Josiah had a talent, just like Isaiah did, and they wouldn’t have the restaurant if they didn’t. It might not be the flashest of talents, at least in some respects, but Isaiah liked it and in his mind, that was all that mattered.
Isaiah wasn’t the kind of guy who could hide much from his family, and the moment he’d told his parents that someone was going to be staying with them through all this, it was obvious that Winifred meant something to him. Her squeezing his hand, the little blush she gave him, that wasn’t helping much either, and one glance at his father proved it. Josiah would ask him later, and didn’t want to embarrass him. Much. And Isaiah couldn’t lie, he did like the fact that she didn’t let go of his hand to shake his father’s.
Josiah just laughed, something they all needed to do on a day like today. “Please, you can call me Josiah. Or even Mr. Williamson, if you’re stubborn about it.” He glanced up at his son, raising an eyebrow. “And you’re right, I’m making dinner and no, you’re not helping. You’ve got company to take care of.”
“I don’t think you’ll keep him out of that kitchen for long, Joey,” his mother said, turning around to face them. Adrie Williamson was grinning, waving her youngest daughter over so she could run a hand over the blond curls. Next to her, Lizzy gave a shy little wave, definitely the quietest member of the bunch. “And it’s lovely to meet you, Winifred. Sai says you’re a white witch, and we’d love the help. Come on,” she gestured for the redhead to join them. “How much do you know?” Raising two witches of her own, Adrie was a good teacher, and with the warm heart to prove it.
Winifred beamed up at Isaiah, laughing with him. “So the saying goes. I bet the competition gets pretty fierce around here, huh? That’s something I wouldn’t mind seeing. Or sampling. That pasta the other night was amazing.” And Winifred wasn’t exaggerating. She wasn’t much of a cook at all, but it’d tasted better than anything she’d eaten in a while. Which may not be saying something about her staple of microwavable food, but still. It totally counted.
It hadn’t occurred to Winifred to act any differently around Isaiah than she normally would just because his family was around. Well, maybe she was a little less flirtatious, but only because she didn’t want to make a bad impression. Because as much as she tried to let it roll off her shoulders, the opinions of all of the people in this small room were very important to her. It would be such a drag if anyone in Isaiah’s life didn’t like her, and she definitely didn’t want to cause any sort of discord where she could help it. It just wasn’t in her nature to be that way. “I’m afraid it’ll have to be Mr. Williamson, then.” Winifred smiled up at him, the expression a little bit on the sheepish side. She didn’t think it was very respectful to call someone by their first name when they were the same age as her father. “Maybe being a bit more informal will grow on me with time.”
Not that Winifred was assuming anything, though. Even though the thought of getting to know Isaiah’s family better was definitely pleasant as it certainly meant spending more time with the were-falcon himself. When his mother began talking, Winifred turned to listen, smiling despite her nervousness and returning Lizzy’s wave with enthusiasm. Reaching over with her free hand, she squeezed Isaiah’s hand between both of hers and gave him a warm smile before she moved over to where his mother beckoned. “I can permanently ward and I can cast simple healing spells for short periods of time. What all needs to be done?” Winifred had to admit, she was definitely excited about getting to work magic with more than just one other witch, and it showed in the light that filled her eyes.
“Oh, fierce,” Isaiah said, nodding, Josiah chuckling next to him. “Don’t let him lie to you, I could take him down.” He nudged his father, knowing they could all use a little bit of humor right now. They were all facing a long few days ahead, and anything they could do to pass the time would be good right about now.
“He wishes.” Josiah was still smiling, even as his eyes drifted over to the women working at the altar table. He didn’t have any magic ability either, but he’d been around it long enough to know a little bit about what was going on. “But don’t worry, we’ll be having some form of pasta tonight too, still thinking about what kind. If you like Isaiah’s cooking, this should be a home run.” There were definitely more similarities than differences between the two men, that was for sure.
And the way Winifred squeezed his hand in both of hers? The blush on Isaiah’s face didn’t go unnoticed by either of his parents. Josiah was smirking, and Adrie just had a knowing smile on her face. “We’re working on making sure the wards are going to hold for however long we need them to,” she explained. “I’ve set and blessed them myself, so we’ve been lacing more magic into them, just for the extra layer of protection.” Having seen what a demon would do firsthand - and what one had done to her eldest son - Adrie wasn’t about to let another get anywhere near them. The moment she’d heard the news, she’d started blessing the house again, mixing her own blood into the magic. Lizzy had offered to help, but Adriana had the strongest angelic blood of all the Williamsons, and therefore, she’d be the one to do it.
Jocelyn bounced next to Adrie. “Can I help too?”
Adrie lifted her daughter up and set her down on the table. “Of course you can, sweetie. You remember how to mix these herbs together like I showed you?”
Winifred definitely enjoyed the exchange between Isaiah and his father, their playful arguing and posturing making her feel strangely more at ease. It definitely felt like a more normal exchange, and it let some of her anxiety melt away as she decided she couldn’t help but like each and every one of Isaiah’s family. Though she’d not yet met his younger brother, she figured he couldn’t be too hard to like, either. “Do you two ever have a formal cook-off? I’d definitely sign up to see something like that.”
“I’m sure it will be.” Though if it came down to it, she would probably enjoy Isaiah’s cooking more, she had a gut feeling. She attempted to ignore her hunger and how good pasta sounded right about now. Well, just about anything sounded good that didn’t come to fruition after the charming “ding” sound she usually heard. Microwaves were great inventions, but Winifred thought that using one was making her lazy. And if Isaiah had reacted to her admitting to her habits, she was sure Josiah would react similarly; the two seemed to be very close and very alike from the little she’d seen.
Glancing back over her shoulder once, just because she liked looking at his facial expressions, Winifred noticed a definite color in Isaiah’s cheeks that wasn’t there before. She raised a brow as she stifled the laugh that threatened to bubble out, the soft, knowing smile curving her mouth even as her own cheeks flamed in response. So I’m not the only one who can blush. She turned back to his mother with the smile firmly plastered to her face, listening intently as Adrie described what all they had done so far. Her brows lifted, clearly impressed and definitely excited, though she felt a little bit out of her depth. Her mother may have done something similar, but Winifred had never helped before. “Is there a specific spell you’re using, or is it more like channeling the magic into the wards themselves? I guess I’m a little rusty.” Her expression turned sheepish, and she shrugged. Maybe she would understand better if she just opened herself up to the magic they were working.
Taking a calming breath, Winifred closed her eyes and sensed out with that extra part of her and grasped onto a thread of the magics they were weaving. It felt like a warding spell, but it was different, and when she opened her eyes, she thought she understood better how she would be able to help.
“Like an Iron Chef-type challenge?” Isaiah had to think about it for a second, “No, not really. We do fight over who gets to cook dinner, though. One night we’ll have everyone together and we’ll try to split the cooking duties evenly.” Or as evenly as they could, with two chefs in the family. If they invited Bradley too, that made three chefs and all three were particular about what they made and how they made it. It was all good in Isaiah’s book, though - the food would be delicious, and the company would be better.
Isaiah caught her trying not to laugh, and as such tried to shrug it off, only to no avail. Everyone knew what he was thinking, feeling - it was hard for him to hide emotions like that - and his family would grill him for it later, he was sure. Especially Lizzy, who always took an interest in anyone Isaiah brought home. She’d been vocal about Paige and how she wasn’t the one for him, and though she liked Raina well enough, she did not like the way Isaiah had just been dropped out of nowhere. Right now, none of that mattered, just enjoying that smile on Winifred’s face.
“More along the lines of channeling magic into the wards,” Adrie explained. “The more power we can fuse into them, the longer they’ll hold. Here, I’ll show you.” And show her she did, and for the most of the next half an hour or so, the women worked together on the magic surrounding the house. Josiah and Isaiah hung back and watched, both men offering their support in silence even though they couldn’t help. Eventually Josiah excused himself so he could check on Elijah, Isaiah’s brother, and make sure he hadn’t tried to go flying while everyone had their back turned, as well as to start dinner. Isaiah hung in the doorway for Winifred, not really ready to leave her alone just yet. Maybe it was the fact that he was worried over the demons, maybe that he just enjoyed her company. He wasn’t thinking too much about it right now.
“So I was thinking, I’d give you my old bedroom for the night,” he said, once Winifred was free. Lizzy brushed past him as he spoke, and Isaiah didn’t look over at his sister, knowing the You will tell me what’s going on later because omg! look that would be on her face. “It’s a lot more comfy than our couch. If you want, we can drop your stuff off in there.”
It had been a very, very long time since Winifred had performed magic in that grand a scale, and she was now very much aware of just how hungry she was. Despite the drain she felt from all the recent magical activity, Winifred’s eyes were alight with something like peace and her smiles came easier. Well, easier than they usually did around Isaiah, which basically meant that she would probably not be without the happy grin on her face. Tipping her head up to listen to Isaiah speak, she quirked a brow and nodded. “That’s mighty kind of you. Does that mean that you’ll be stuck with the couch?” Winifred winced and shook her head. “Because that doesn’t sound like a good time, unless you like back aches.”
Reaching out for his hand, Winifred interlaced his fingers with hers, feeling much better once their hands were joined. “That would be nice. It’s pretty neat that you still have your old room here. I bet that makes it a whole lot easier in demon situations.” A snide thought entered her mind about her own living arrangements and the state she’d left her room in Texas, but she quickly pushed it aside. She didn’t want to think about the past tonight.
Pretty sure her bags were still at the foot of the stairs, Winifred made her way over to the staircase and led Isaiah down them, sending a grinning glance up at him. Once they were on the ground floor, she hefted the bag up onto her free shoulder, holding the strap with her free hand. The bag wasn’t too heavy, so she just stood and looked up at Isaiah with a smirk. “Lead the way.” She squeezed his hand, chuckling at the memory of how red Isaiah’s cheeks had gotten earlier in the evening. With a sly look, she moved closer to the were. “I don’t suppose you have any more blushes you’re saving for later, hmm? I can honestly say that seeing that ranks as the highlight of the evening, so far.” She smiled up at Isaiah, her eyes a tad bit mischievous. “Even above the magic.” And that was saying something.
Isaiah shrugged. “Probably. To be fair, it’s not that bad.” Even if it was technically a little bit too small for him, all things considered. He didn’t think he’d be sleeping much that night anyway, but only because he’d be thinking too much about what might happen the next morning and therefore relaxing was out of the question. Better he was downstairs and therefore not keeping the rest of the house awake with him, though he doubted his parents would sleep tonight, either. Seeing the magic the three witches had put into place, something he knew worked even if he couldn’t feel the spells there himself, it would help. Any protection they could get would help.
If Lizzy was going to say something before, seeing the two of them together, fingers laced together, about sealed it for the teenage girl. The look Isaiah shot her clearly said, “Not now,” and then kept all of his attention on Winifred. “It’s been nice, yeah, but I stay here for more reasons than that,” he said, managing a small chuckle. “I’m still here quite a bit, so while I don’t technically live here... you know how it goes.” He’d always be welcome under his parents’ roof, Isaiah knew that.
She didn’t have to take him all the way downstairs, he would have gotten her things, but still he grinned at that smirk she gave him. “It’s back upstairs, actually,” he said, gesturing in the right direction. “Are you sure you don’t want me to carry that?” It might not have been heavy, but it was still in his nature to ask. Tugging on her hand - gently, of course - he led her back upstairs, turning away from the altar room and down the hall. His old bedroom was the last room at the end, the walls pretty bare, all things considered. But the sheets were clean and there were still a few random photos of a younger Isaiah tucked into the frame of the mirror above the dresser. “Blushes?” Oh crap, she’d caught that? Well then. He grinned, shyly, running his free hand over his hair. “I don’t know, think you’ll have to earn them.”
Winifred winced anyway. “All I know is every time I’ve ever slept on a couch, I’ve woken up crankier than a rattlesnake.” She rolled her eyes as she was unable to stop herself from using one of her father’s sayings. Though she doubted that she would get much sleep no matter where it was she actually went to bed. The magic that was warding the house was a lot more sophisticated than anything she could have cooked up by herself, so she should have felt relieved. It took the edge off of the fear she’d felt ever since Isaiah sent her that text earlier, but she still felt uneasy knowing that demons would be on the loose out in the city. “There’s always the all-night-movie-marathon option?” She flashed Isaiah a grin that was pretty cheesy, hoping she wouldn’t have to go to sleep at all.
Winifred followed the were-falcon’s sharp gaze, her eyes flicking over to Lizzy as she stood there, looking for all the world like she was dying to know just what was going on. But once the redhead looked back up at Isaiah, she followed his lead and ignored the younger woman. Guess she’s just curious, and I don’t blame her....but its kind of rude to stare so much. Winifred laughed with him, and a little bit at herself. “Oh. Well, I bet your siblings still need their big brother around, and I know your parents must like seeing that you’re still in one piece, too. Even if there aren’t demons around.”
No matter how many times he smiled at her, it still caught Winifred off guard just how much of an affect it had. Her smirk turned into a grin and she chuckled a little bit as her own cheeks turned a soft pink color. “It’s fine. I appreciate the offer, though.” She bit at her lower lip, clearly enjoying his chivalrous offer. When he pulled gently at her hand, she followed close behind him, careful not to step on his feet on the stairs. Once they were in his room, she slipped the bag off her shoulder and set it down just inside the door. Glancing around, she wandered over to his dresser and peered at the pictures for a moment before she turned back toward Isaiah. Winifred nodded at his question, that smug smirk coming back to rest on her lips. She tapped her chin with the index finger of her free hand. “Hmmm...I guess I’ll have to try everything in my arsenal.”
Slowly, Winifred stepped closer to Isaiah, and once she could feel his breath on her face, she stopped. She tilted her chin up and leaned in, her lips brushing his cheek right near the corner of his mouth. Pulling away, she felt her own cheeks flame and she dropped her eyes shyly, her hand squeezing his before she could lift her gaze back to his face. Well, at least one of us is blushing... She shrugged a bit sheepishly. “I guess all you have to do to earn my blushes is exist.” She rolled her eyes at her quick color-change, hoping he didn’t think she was too pushy with her antics. She’d heard that same thing before, and she really hoped she was just being flirtatious and not annoying.
Of course Lizzy was curious - and a little protective over her big brother, but being a Williamson, that kind of came with the territory. His sister knew that Raina hadn’t been gone all that long and that, for Isaiah to bring someone to the family home, they had to be special. He protected his family above all else to be let in like this, to know not only what he was but what his sisters were too, was an honor. Winifred might not realize that, but Isaiah did, and so did Lizzy. Hence why he was going to get grilled later, and how he answered would probably dictate whether or not Lizzy liked Winifred or not. “Definitely. As you can tell, we’re all kind of close, even if Joce and Elijah are a good bit younger than me.”
Getting Winifred to blush was starting to be one of Isaiah’s favorite things to do. Helped that he was good at it, too, if her reactions were any indication. He nodded - Winifred seemed independent enough to want to do things on her own, unlike Paige, who pretty much had him doing anything and everything for her while they’d been together. Another aspect about his ex that he did not miss whatsoever. Seeing her smirk at him though was something the falcon could get used to - and then she leaned up to kiss the corner of his mouth.
In all honesty, he wasn’t paying much attention to what she said after that. Though she’d given him a peck on the cheek before, that was awfully close to meaning something more. Then she was blushing and looking away and Isaiah was acting before he could second guess himself. His head dipped down, brushed his lips over hers, unable to resist it. So much for flirting, Sai. You better hope she wasn’t just teasing for the sake of teasing. He was smiling when he pulled back, though a bit nervously. “Does that earn me a blush?”
Even if it wasn’t the same as sensing out magic, Winifred could definitely tell that each and every member of this family was close. The kind of closeness that went beyond mere blood-relation and became something more tangible. She wasn’t sure that her inclusion was anything more than happenstance, but that would be the strange new brand of doubt in herself talking. She knew that people were exceedingly touchy about people knowing their secrets, especially after the Light of May. And she definitely understood the reasoning behind it; not that she was untrustworthy by any means. She intended to keep Isaiah and his family’s secrets to the grave. Who knew what kind of hunters or horrible people were out there that would want to hurt someone just because they were special? “I get that. It makes me a bit jealous, not even going to lie. It seems like you all look out for each other more than most people.”
Despite her best efforts to remain true to her proud and confident nature, it seemed as though Isaiah was the exception to her rule. She was blushing and feeling nervous and getting the butterflies-- all things that she rarely let herself get carried away enough to feel. Winifred prided herself on being calm and collected in nearly all of the standard social situations, but for some reason, Isaiah seemed to disarm all her defense mechanisms. Sure, she was friendly and flirtatious, but she was not shy or coy. And right now she felt every inch the demure young woman her mother had tried, and failed, to teach her to be. Until, of course, Isaiah had to go and do something like that.
Winifred’s mind truly went blank for a moment when she felt Isaiah’s lips brushing against hers. When he pulled away, smiling down at her, she couldn’t help but grin back him, albeit a bit shocked. Pleasantly so, however, and she did indeed color an exquisite shade of crimson. She cleared her throat and blinked a couple times before she found her voice again, the grin still plastered to her face. “I’ll see your blush and raise you an accelerated pulse and speechlessness.” But before she could lose what confidence she had, she leaned up on tip-toes and kissed him again, this time letting her lips linger against his. When she pulled away, she stayed close, squeezing his hand in hers. “I’ve...wanted to know what it’d be like to kiss you since we met.”
Isaiah’s family was one of the most important parts of his life, and it was the part he didn’t often share. His family knew exactly how important it was to keep everyone safe - not only from demons, but from everything else out there, too. Two of his great-uncles were dead because of hunters, taking out any were they could find in the area. His mother’s wards kept them safe, and it was ingrained in him at a young age not to talk about what he was. He didn’t like to keep secrets, so the fact that he didn’t have to with Winifred was refreshing. “Jealous?” That’s right, because her mom was gone, and her family wasn’t here. He didn’t want to bring up any bad memories for her right now. “We try, anyway. It’s just who we are.” Adrie’s angelic blood likely helped with that, too.
He was feeling those butterflies too, for much the same reasons. As much as it was instinct in him to find someone he could settle down with eventually, he knew he had to find The One. His mate. He’d take baby steps to get there, and he knew that right now, being with Winifred felt right. She’d made him happy every time they’d been together, and if that wasn’t the start to something, then what was? He was too worried that, in acting on what he’d felt, he’d scare her away. Seeing her grinning back at him was actually quite the relief.
“There’s that blush,” he teased. “And I could probably hear your heart beating all the way downstairs.” Which meant his dad and brother probably could, too, but he wasn’t going to mention that right now. He wasn’t ready to share Winifred with anyone else right now. This second kiss was a little longer, and Isaiah deepened it, lifting her up in his arms a little so she didn’t have to lean up as far. “You did?” he asked. “You probably could have gotten away with this earlier, you know. I wouldn’t have minded.”
Before her mother had passed, and even still afterwards, Winifred had held family above all things. Her mother and father were the most important people in her life, and she understood the need to protect that. There were only a few family friends who had known that she and her mother were witches, and only her family knew about their angelic blood. It was the way things worked, and even though she hadn’t understood when she was younger, Winifred certainly did now. It was dangerous to tell the wrong people, and she was certain that divulging her gifts to that man in the magic shop had been a mistake. She had no idea what he, or any other strangers for that matter, might do with that information. The Light of May might’ve opened up the door, but she would choose wisely before she ever walked through it. Smiling, Winifred turned her thoughts back to the present. “Well I like the way you are. All of you.” And she genuinely did.
Even though Winifred’s instincts weren’t exactly the same, she still dreamed of finding her soul mate, like her parents had found each other. And who was to say that she wasn’t allowed to date along the way? She’d instantly felt something ever since she’d talked to Isaiah, and even if they weren’t destined to be together, he still made her feel special. And for right now, that was exactly what she needed. Her stomach kept doing back-flips, and she found it hard to keep her breathing even and calm. She wasn’t on the verge of hyperventilating, but her pulse was thudding so loud she could hear it. And if she could hear it, it must be excruciatingly loud to Isaiah. Now that the ice was broken, Winifred felt much better about being the one to make the first move, and less like she was just being too pushy.
What was a guaranteed way to make Winifred blush more? By calling attention to it. Her cheeks flamed brighter at Isaiah’s teasing, even if it didn’t look humanly possible. “Now you’ve done it. I don’t think this color is going to go away at all tonight.” Winifred definitely enjoyed Isaiah’s lips against hers, and she made a very soft sound of contentedness when he lifted her up. Her arms moved to twine about his neck and she blinked a few times once she pulled away, definitely a little too breathless. “Well, I wasn’t sure if you were flirting just to be nice or if you really did take an interest. And I didn’t want to seem...pushy. But now that I know that you won’t mind, I’ll definitely take every liberty possible.” Her nose wrinkled as she chuckled, leaning just close enough to plant a kiss on his nose.
It was nice - reassuring even - to finally meet someone who felt about family the same way he did. Raina had been close, but with all the drama that went down with her sister, and then the drama behind her leaving, perhaps he’d gotten the wrong impression. It didn’t matter now; Isaiah had moved on, as evidenced by the redhead he was with right now. “It’s so good to hear that,” he murmured. “We don’t always get that reaction. Mostly because of the bird part.” Prior to the Light of May, weres weren’t common knowledge and when Isaiah told people, he had to be even more careful. Winifred hadn’t flipped out, and he would always be grateful for that.
Dating for Isaiah was never something he did casually, not with what he was. But with Winifred, he saw something there, too. Something to hang on to, to see what happened. They weren’t bound at the hip quite yet, and nor did he want to be. Isaiah was always thinking about things in the long term, because he had to. When it felt right, he’d know. And right now, this felt right. Good. Where he was supposed to be. He hoped that her heart pounding so loud was a good thing - she was smiling, so he guessed it was. He shifted one hand to lay it over said heart, able to feel it thumping against his palm.
“It’s a good color on you,” he agreed. “I guess it’s a good thing that I like it.” The hand over her heart snuck up to rest against her neck - Isaiah might not be as experienced as most guys his age, so to speak, but he definitely knew how to do this part. “And you can be pushy,” he could barely get the words out without chuckling, smiling shyly as she kissed his nose. “I promise I don’t mind. I’m glad I didn’t completely fail at flirting.” It occurred to him then that his family was probably wondering where they’d gotten off to - and knowing Lizzy, she was thinking they were doing exactly this - but he didn’t quite want to go out there yet.
Winifred really couldn’t imagine being able to dislike anyone in Isaiah’s family. It really didn’t seem humanly possible. Sure, she thought Lizzie was a little bit nosy, but Winifred would definitely want to look out for her siblings, if she had had any. And even as much as it seemed like they teased and poked fun at each other, it was all in good fun and not malicious at all. Winifred’s relationship with her father had been like that, before her mother passed. And really, she missed him a little less for being allowed to be enveloped in the same sort of atmosphere. “I can’t imagine why anyone wouldn’t just accent it, though. Being weres and witches is part of who y’all are. It what makes you special. Sure, I was surprised at first, but I was more glad that it was you the other night than I think you realize.” And it worked both ways. Isaiah hadn’t reacted badly to her being a witch, so all she really felt was grateful.
Winifred had not really dated all that much in high school or afterwards. Sure, there was the occasional invitation out to dinner with a guy, but she hadn’t really been serious with anyone. She’d had crushes and attractions, but they had never really seemed to turn into anything more. And despite her not wanting to get ahead of herself, she really hoped that whatever this was with Isaiah was not just another attraction that fizzled out after a while. For some reason, she didn’t think it would be, but she was notorious for getting her hopes up, in vain. And then her thoughts ceased as Isaiah’s hand pressed against her heart, and she felt sure that it was trying to beat itself ragged against her sternum. She smiled a little shyly and took a deep breath, hoping to coax her pulse down into a more normal rate. Probably to no avail, with Isaiah’s warm presence.
“Well, I hope it becomes your favorite color, because you will see it a lot, I’d wager.” Usually Winifred thought that the red so close to her red hair made her look odd, or freakish, but if Isaiah seemed to enjoy the sight, she couldn’t complain in the slightest. His hand on her neck did not help matters either, and she closed her eyes briefly as she leaned into it. “Hmm. If you really want me to be, and truly don’t mind...” Okay, so he hadn’t exactly said that the way Winifred had interpreted it, but she carefully overlooked that fact. Placing a hand over the one that Isaiah had resting on her neck, Winifred used her other hand to grab the back of Isaiah’s neck and pull him close for another kiss. “Even if you had the ability to fail, I probably would have texted you anyway.” Winifred was so caught up in her very exciting and happy moments with Isaiah that she’d completely forgotten how hungry she was. Until, of course, her stomach growled loudly. Winifred rolled her eyes and laughed. “Wow, I think the whole house may have heard that one.”
Dislike was one thing. Fear was another. When his first girlfriend learned what he was, Isaiah had seen fear in Paige’s eyes, and he never wanted to experience that again. Ever. It was the first time in his life he could remember regretting what he was, even for just a split second. Paige said that she “accepted” it, but it wasn’t the same. It fermented in his mind the fact that she wasn’t the one, and that he had to be the one to pull the trigger, because Paige never would. He grinned, leaning in to give Winifred another quick kiss. “Now we can, with the people who know,” he said. “That circle is slowly getting wider, and I’m glad for that. You know it’s not easy to hide what you are all the time.” He stroked her hair, “I was glad I found you. You know I would have come to you the moment I got your message.”
Everyone got their hopes up about this sort of thing. Unless they were like Jace, and knew that their next girl was just waiting around the corner, drunk at some bar and waiting for you to take her home. Isaiah didn’t work like that. Even without the falcon side of him, he’d been raised better than that, so therefore Jace could have all the drunk floozies he wanted. She didn’t have to slow down her heartbeat for him; he rather liked the idea that he was driving her all sorts of crazy. Cocky guy thing for sure, but he liked it regardless.
“I’m taking it as a sign that I’m doing something right. So in that respect, yes, I want to see it.” Her tugging his head down for a kiss? Hell yes, Isaiah could get used to that. He was, after all, happier when he had someone to spend his time with, even though he knew the rumor mill would start up at the restaurant again the moment he went back. More so if Winifred started working there too, which he also wanted. “Now you can text me whenever you want.” He might not know where this was going, but it was definitely something. Something good. Hearing her stomach rumble, he chuckled. “Come on, let’s get you some food. I think everyone’s probably wondering where I snuck you off to by now anyway.”
Okay, so maybe Winifred had been scared at first when she had no idea whom, or what, had landed on her tailgate, but that was only her initial reaction. She hoped Isaiah wouldn’t read too much into that part, because she was definitely sincerely glad it had been a falcon and not anything or anyone else. And now that she thought of the idea, she was sure that Isaiah could probably not scare her or upset her. He made her happy, and lightheaded and giddy, and all those silly things you feel when you really like someone. He proved that very fact with the quick kiss he gave her, and she felt her heart do another pulse back-flip, no matter how briefly their lips were touching. Her smile grew into a pretty lopsided grin and she nodded. “It’s definitely hard. I hate lying, so its even harder. But it’s a good thing that you’ve got more people you know you can trust. I bet that’s a huge relief.” She enjoyed the sensation of having her hair touched, and it showed on her face. “Me, too. And I know you would have, if you had had the ability to do so. You’re my knight in shining feathers, remember?” She winked at him.
As far as being driven crazy went, Winifred didn’t mind. At all. This was probably the nicest way Winifred had ever felt crazy, and she definitely didn’t want it to end. Beyond spending more time with Isaiah, she didn’t know what would happen, but she knew she would have fun. And she hoped Isaiah was, too. “Although I don’t have much experience in this sort of thing, I would say that you’re definitely doing something right.” Winifred winced internally, not sure just how that little bit of information was going to be received. Hopefully she wasn’t completely horrible at kissing. Though, judging by how many times Isaiah seemed to want to kiss her again, she figured it couldn’t be too terrible. “Good, I think I’ll definitely do that.” Winifred had no idea what would be in store for her if she went to work at the Owl’s Nest, but she was really looking forward to trying to pay her bills, so she would probably take just about any job. And, of course, seeing Isaiah more often was definitely a plus. At the mention of food, Winifred nodded. “Please! I don’t think I can wait any longer, unless you want me to start eating your house.” Taking his hand, Winifred walked with Isaiah back downstairs, and to dinner with his family, her permanent blush and their entwined hands a testament to a new beginning.