Gift-Fic: Little Family of Horrors
by: Flaming Trails

“No.”

“Oh, come on, Vincent.”

“Nope.”

“Nothing’s going to happen! She’s not going to hurt you!”

“Nuh-uh.”

“Vincent, I swear on our dearest father’s soul that Audrey is not going to take a snap at you.”

“…I’m, uh, flattered you think my soul is good enough to swear by?”

Lorina and Vincent both jumped. “What – Dad!” Lorina said, leaning around Vincent to look at him. “I thought you were still in the lab.”

“I had to take a break – it’s hot in there today,” Victor said, mopping the sweat off his brow. He nodded at the pair before him. “So, the usual argument?”

Lorina huffed, holding up her favorite potted plant. “Yes. Dad, tell Vincent that Audrey is perfectly safe.”

“Dad, tell Lorina that I think I’m justified in not trusting any plant with teeth,” Vincent promptly shot back, folding his arms.

“She’s part Venus flytrap! Of course she’s going to have teeth!” Lorina petted the top of Audrey’s bulbous “flower,” making it wiggle. “But that doesn’t mean she’s going to take off a finger.”

“I can’t take that risk! I mean, look – I know Uncle Richard could probably build me a new one that was better than the original,” Vincent allowed, circling his wrist. “But do you know how long it would take me to get used to it? To do anything with it? Most importantly, to play the piano again? I don’t want to have to start over on my favorite hobby on the off chance that your little monstrosity decides it wants to sample human flesh!”

“You’re just a wimp who doesn’t appreciate proper SCIENCE when he sees it!” Lorina shoved the startled plant in his face. “Touch it!”

“Hey, hey!” Victor insinuated himself between them as Vincent backed up. “Enough of that! Lorina, we do not call your brother names. Vincent, we do not call your sister’s Inventions ‘monstrosities.’ ” He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “The whole house is tired of this argument between you two. I need to know why it keeps coming up.”

There was a moment of silence. Then, in a rather shakier voice than before, Lorina said, “I just want to know why my own twin brother doesn’t trust me enough to know I wouldn’t make anything that would hurt somebody.”

“What – I – I don’t – ” Vincent stammered – then sighed, letting his head fall to his chest. “I – I’m sorry,” he mumbled, rubbing his arm with his eyes on his shoes. “I didn’t realize you were taking it that hard. And I didn’t mean – I know you wouldn’t intentionally make anything that would hurt us. And I know she hasn’t hurt you. But – I can’t help but worry. The piano means the world to me, and just the idea that one bad moment might mean I’d lose it…” He flexed his fingers. “Wouldn’t you feel the same way about something that could stop you from tending your plants?”

Lorina’s expression softened. “Yeah, I would,” she admitted, cradling Audrey against her chest. “All right, I’ll stop pestering you about it. Just – be open to giving her a chance? When you’re ready?”

“I’ll try,” Vincent promised. “Honestly, it’s not so much her doing anything deliberately as much as -- well. Which one of us got Dad’s natural ‘grace?’ ”

“Hey!”

“Sorry, Dad, but – when’s the last time you petted Audrey?”

“…touché.”

The End