[ME] you created a monster <3

No way you can deny, you feel the most alive when you are terrified

Realizing far too late to do anything about it, Kaisel recalls how inclined to fire Ancients are, and Charlie is especially one for theatrics. That hits about the same time as her deathgrip on his hand, his body at once buckling down into the pressure, trying to offer whatever slack he could to lessen it. If only he could lengthen his bones. Sucking in through his teeth he swallows his complaint and bears it with a clenched grin, something like a laugh but too hollow and mangled to call it that puffing out of his cheeks as the flames rush up her body and towards him.

"Breathe," he rasps, his own breath struggling beneath the vice of a woman bearing down upon herself with all the energy and strength needed to deliver a child. Fortunately, it doesn't last long, and as Charlie offers up only a simple ow in response to a fresh life tearing its place in this world, the sounds coming from his chest turning more into an actual chuckle, sighs slipping in-between. The temple staff crowd in the sudden surge of fire, and when they step away, it's with the jewel of it all cradled between them.

Shaking his hand at his side where deep bruises and burns have set in, Kaisel is all eyes and wonder for the babe that Charlie takes in hand. "Oh, Charlie!" he proclaims with a sudden swell of enthusiastic pride. "You did it!" a breath, softening a touch. "She looks incredible." Though she isn't his, she is precious just the same. His uninjured hand rests briefly on her shoulder, but he retreats to give the new family their space, falling back towards Flora. With the adrenaline dispersing, the throb of his hand is cutting in more clearly, so he curls it carefully at his side until they can get their bottles of water in hand.

Kaisel

I'm a daredevil on the highway to hell

// sun comin' up on a dream come around //

As promised, the pop! of champagne accompanies the birth of Charlie's daughter, Danta smiling broadly behind the fizzing top of the bottle as the baby greets the world. "Congratulations!" he trills alongside everyone else; cheers, murmurs of awe, scattered applause, you name it. All to celebrate the woman of the hour and Dygra's newest darling.

After pouring a few glasses of champagne to hand out, he leaves the rest to his bar staff, though he does save a private bottle for later when Asta is relieved of his muzzle. There's nothing that says one can't celebrate privately, after all. "Alright," he announces, "now that the show is over and the last guest has arrived, why don't we really celebrate?"

Cue music, chaos, laughter, food and drink, and anything else that Charlie might want.

(Even a quiet little space, though he doubts she'll be looking for anything of the sort, despite all she's just gone through).

~FIN

Dantalion

// one hundred years from the empire now //