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It had been easy to wait for Mort when Belladonna didn't know how long it was going to take him to come back. It had been easy to keep herself busy and preoccupied with friends or shopping or fixing her wardrobe. It had been almost too easy, so now that she had a time frame, her entire world crashed. For the past two days her hair would refuse to be tamed, her face broke out in horrid little pimples and she thought she had gained weight. Her sewing machine went on the fritz, her computer caught a virus that took a day to get rid of and none of her books held her attention. Plus every time she wanted to go for a ride on her broom to clear her mind, a drizzle would start up and the witch refused to go riding with so many things gone wrong. She'd surely be struck by lightening and then her hair would really never un-frizz.

But finally the scheduled day arrived and Belladonna woke up to a clear face and (somewhat) tame hair. The summer humidity wouldn't fully relinquish its hold on her red locks, but it at least let up a bit.
"Oh Hecate." Was Belladonna's perpetual chant that she said over and over as she paced her room. Already she had tried on at least five outfits before she decided on one that was a little subtler than she was used to (in case she had to speak with Ms. McNeal again), but still very pretty and certainly complimentary.
"Any word yet on Lover Boy?" Binx asked in a droll voice from his perch atop the bookshelf. Lanna had been yipping up a storm and the bookshelf was the only place Binx could sit without getting trampled by Belladonna or pounced on by the little foxfire.

The witch turned around to look up at him and explain, but her phone rang and everyone froze. Lanna stopped and plopped down on the rug, Binx's tail straightened considerably and Belladonna quietly picked up her phone. A tiny squeal was the only answer both her pets received before she sent a text back.

After the first text, the witch flew into a tizzy. She changed her accessories, considered changing her outfit but finally decided to keep it. Hat or no hat? Hair up or down? Heels or no heels? She just couldn't decide!
Finally, after the second text where she only had 5 minutes, the witch let out a scream and felt the little force of a small black cat who landed on her head. She let out a small "Urk!" of dismay, but Binx only slunk down to her shoulder.
"Calm down. Get dressed and leave. If you waste anymore time you'll be late. You look fine. Just wear the shoes with the low heel and leave your hat. You'll want to fly, I'm sure." He nuzzled her quickly before he hopped over to the bed. Belladonna took a deep breath and grabbed her shoes and dropped her hat onto her desk. Yet a second later she snatched up her phone and stared at his message.
She was going to meet Greg? Oh dear... That would be... Interesting to say the least...

Yet there wasn't much more time to consider all that as the witch launched herself out the window. Flying would save her some time, but she couldn't bolt there like she wanted or else her hair would get all sorts of messy, and one couldn't have that at all! So instead Belladonna forced herself to fly at a moderate pace. It took much too long to arrive at the Undead dorms with her slow pace, but make it she did. Though it was a bit difficult not to go flailing all over the place, Belladonna pulled out her phone and quickly texted Mort.



Finding a broom closet proved more difficult than Belladonna had been prepared to deal with. It took her an additional three minutes to ferret out a suitable place for her broom, but finally she did. But she didn't immediately head off. Instead, Belladonna took a moment to pause and compose herself.
"Alright Bellsie. Take a deep breath. Calm down. This is just a boil, just a boil... Who is your boilfriend. But don't freak out. Please don't freak out." She took a deep breath, squared her shoulders and softly clicked her way toward the stairs.
As she took the first step down, the witch heard two people speaking and one sounded very much like Mort. She couldn't tell if they were in the hallway before her or just coming up behind her, but she still hastened forward. With a jolt, her heart leapt forward in her chest as she realized in just a few moments she would really and truly get to see Mort again.
And not only see him, but get to see him as more than just a friend.
She would get to see him as her boilfriend, as the realization of her feelings for him.
It was an exhilarating thing.

The last few steps disappeared beneath Belladonna's feet and she reached the landing and looked up to see a taller and slightly buffer boil than she had expected. But it was still Mort.
There was nothing she could do to stop her mouth that broke into a bright smile or the step she took forward or even the small formation of his name she began.
But all that ceased quickly as a large, lumbering demon launched himself at the witch. It took Belladonna all of one second before she let out a scream and turned on her heel to run up the stairs. The thing behind her yelled for her, but Belladonna would be damned if she didn't at least try to get away. She only made it up two before she was captured and nearly squeezed to death.
Mort approached them with a dark look and the witch cast him a desperate look. It didn't do her much good. Greg refused to let go and she quietly cursed the circumstances that she didn't get to give her first hug to Mort.
Darn...

"Hello... Greg! Its, erk, lovely to meet you!" Belladonna managed to squeak out between the wiggles Greg gave her. Hecate, it was like being hugged by an overly excitable dog. Overly aware of herself, Belladonna made sure not to breath too deeply, but she was starting to get a little worried until rather suddenly Greg set her down. She took a deep breath and a step back before she plastered a smile on her face for the brothers. Mort spoke and Belladonna let out a high giggle. It wouldn't have mattered if he said anything else, funny or otherwise, she would have laughed. The situation was simply too hilarious to pass up.
And, yanno, she was getting to see him.

"Thank you." Was all Belladonna could manage on the compliment of being called pretty, but quickly cut off anything else as Greg asked about the other girls and then proclaimed his want to stay. Oh please Hecate. NO.
"Did your trip go well?" Belladonna asked as she finally turned her attention to Mort. And promptly let her smile fall into a pout. With her shorter heels (they barely made her 5'2"!), she could see just how much taller than she he was. Correction. Had gotten.
And look at those muscles! Goodness, his trip had certainly changed him!
"You got so tall!" Was all she said as she stood a little higher on her toes to try to figure out what their normal height difference would be. She always wore high heels, so to be so vulnerable like this in such as short heel... To see what it was really like to stand in front of him...
Actually, it was rather lovely.

"When you're as short as me, three inches is quite a lot." She retorted with a slow smile that crept up on her and into her eyes. After a moment she turned toward Greg and realized how very damaging her attempt to flee had been on him. Whoops! That hadn't been her intention at all! It was just... Well, as a small girl with no physical qualities of strength and certainly no way to really protect herself besides her cards, Belladonna's natural reaction to things that were larger than her and trying to grab her... Was to run. But, granted, she hadn't known that was Greg. She just knew it was a big thing that wanted her. So... Whoops.
"It was lovely to meet you Greg. I look forward to our next encounter!" She flashed him a bright smile and a quick pat on his shoulder before he lumbered off down the hall.
It was best that Ms. McNeal would stay at the car, but Belladonna could only hope she would. Mothers like that often... Decided they knew what was best and what they decided was usually the opposite of what their children preferred.

As for his special needs, Belladonna wasn't entirely sure what Mort meant by that statement. She had known of students who couldn't learn things in the same way everyone else did or who had a disability that kept them from fully participating, but besides his exuberance and impulsive nature, what else was there?
But Belladonna didn't want to ask. Mort was hear, taking her hand and pulling her close.
So now that he was so close, she couldn't stop herself. There was no use. She simply took a step forward and raised on her tip-toes and placed a small kiss on his mouth.
"Much better now."
There was so much she'd have to tell him! But for now, she just wanted to bask in the chill of being with him.

The grin Mort bestowed on Belladonna was swoony-worthy, so she batted her eyelashes a little slower than usual and gave him a dopey smile back. She followed him easily, like a small kitten who is sleepy... Or at least a little love-struck.
"Bu-what?! Getting BETTER?!" Belladonna sputtered at his bit of teasing. Somewhere in her brain she knew it was just a light jab, a bit of harmless flirting, but still... She couldn't just let him get away with such a comment. "Just you wait until we get to your room. I'll show YOU better at kissing!" She warned him with a decided finger waggle under his chin.

Once he let go of her hand, the witch toddled forward and grabbed up the extra bag, but didn't fully pick it up. Instead, she clutched at the straps and drug it alongside him toward his room. Once inside, she let him do the rest what with his expert toe nudging and only followed along behind.
"Lanna's kisses are certainly of a different... Kind. But she's wonderful! I didn't bring her yet because I wasn't sure if you still needed a day of rest or what not. But her and Binx got on marvelously. You were gone a day before they began their war for my affections. But Lanna is a most suitable sleeping partner!" The witch prattled on easily. The chill of his room grabbed at her exposed flesh, but she ignored it. It was strange that the chill in the air bothered her slightly, while the chill of Mort was something she found highly exhilarating.
As for everything that happened? Did he really want to know everything?
"Quite a lot has happened! It might take a while. And you have to tell me your stories too!" Belladonna chirruped as she bounced back to him and grabbed one of his hands between her own. She bounced a little as she stood in front him, excited and happy to have him back. Maybe she bounced a little more than was necessary, but it was just for him, just to show him how much she'd missed him.

Laughter was a draught best shared, so Belladonna joined in too. After him in a fit of frills and giggles she scurried onto the bed and sat before him with a smile. Though she had promised to show him better kissing, well... She figured they should build up to that. It might be strange to just grab him and make out with him with no regard to romance or timing. ...Well, maybe it wouldn't be all that strange.
But no! Belladonna wanted to hear about his trip and tell him about her time here! He was here! With her! As her boilfriend and--
Wait. He was still her boilfriend, right? Just cause he asked via text meant it counted, right?
For a moment Belladonna looked up at him with a sheepish gaze, her lips pursed a little as she tilted her head and took one of his hands in her's.
"You, um... You're still my boilfriend, right?" She mumbled, her cheeks bright pink with her question. "Because I like you. A lot. And I want you to be that."

"Story for story! Yes!" The witch clapped her hands gleefully and settled herself in to listen to Mort's story. Yet while he spoke and while she listened, she couldn't help but notice the bit of mass his body had gained. It was all muscle. Delicious, manly muscles. Mmmmm, this is lovely.
"Oh that's right! Thor! Can I see it? What all do you have to fix on it?" At the mention of beating Greg, Belladonna let out an appreciative "ooohhh" for him. Which reminded her. "We'll have to share fight stories!"
It had taken her a little while, but Belladonna had come to the conclusion that she'd just tell Mort about her Hunter fight. Even if he got angry at her about it, or was upset, he'd have to commend her for getting out of there while she could. Right? Certainly!

As for herself...
"Well... Let me see. For the first few days I mostly sewed and did some general dorm cleaning things. I cut Lanna's fur and gave her a good bath. Not that she needed it or anything, I just like to take extra good care of pets. Oh! I was a Magical Girl too!!" She said with excited hand gestures, which was difficult because her hands kept going back to Mort's for one small touch before they would fly away and flutter around in the air. She was much too excited and giddy and happy for her own good.

"Its ok that it was casual! I just... Didn't want you to have changed your mind or anything is all... But I'm glad." She told him with a smile and a small squeeze to his hands. Now would be the perfect time for a kiss, for a peck or something, but Belladonna only looked up at him a little expectantly. She did a lot of chasing and while that was all well and good, it was nice to feel wanted every once in a while. More so than just hearing it...
But before she told him anything, a small if devious smile curled on her mouth. "Well, I could always stand to hear it again."

After that she straightened up and gave him a very serious look.
"Mort, I am a terrible magical girl." Belladonna began with a deep sigh. "It took me 4 tries to get it right. I felt like I was repeating this awful cycle and failing every time. And I'd have to start over from scratch and sometimes get closer, but I still failed. It was awful. I'd rather be a witch than a magical girl." But still, she promised he could see the costume. She would definitely have to show him sometime soon... See what he thought of it. If he could make any coherent thoughts, of course.

Had Belladonna any sort of inclination of what Mort was thinking (she really need to get on that mind reading thing!), she would have certainly eased his fears. She didn't want anyone but him, not better or more. Just simply him.
Yet his backpack clunked onto the bed and produced the metal arm that was so shiny. Belladonna let out an appreciative "oooohhh" of admiration as she ran a finger lightly over the metal. It was cool and intricate in a wholly different way than she was used to. She liked it!
Mort mentioned picking it up, so the witch's fingers flexed happily before they wrapped around and heaved the metal up. It was heavy! Sheesh! No wonder Mort had to put on some muscle to lug this thing around.
"So that's why you bulked up, huh? I can see why... Whoo! I can hardly hold it..." She set the arm down carefully, but still felt it drop all too quickly. Thankfully it was just onto the bed, so she didn't bother to feel poorly over it. "And here I thought it was so you could pick me all romantic-like." She gave him a playful wink, but quickly turned her attention to its next trick.
The thing hummed!
"Ooooohhhhhhhhhh~ It sings so pretty. And alive? Interesting. I can't wait to see what all it can do! Will you wear it all the time?"
Would it be interesting to be touched with the metal arm? Would it feel like the same chill? Would it still have the same heart stopping quality to it, or would it feel different?

Yet Mort had to go and ruin the witch's curiosity with curiosity of his own. Belladonna heaved a small sigh and looked up at Mort with wide, pink eyes.
"Whatever I tell you about my battle, you can't get mad or upset or anything, ok?"
That was never a good start to a story.