Work Text:
The bottle spun slowly between the three girls sitting around it. When it finally stopped, pointing directly at Mildred, Enid looked up and, with a bored expression, was the first to speak.
"Truth or dare?"
Mildred didn’t think too hard about it.
"Dare," she replied, a bit unenthusiastic. Telling scary stories was way more fun than playing spin the bottle with so few people.
"Alright, I dare you to… I don’t know, eat newt eyes?"
"That’s poisonous, Enid," Maud immediately interjected when she saw Mildred already getting ready to stand up and go grab a jar.
"Then I’ve got nothing… Mildred, you said this would be fun. Do non-magics really find this entertaining?" Enid asked, looking at her with a lackluster expression.
Mildred sighed.
"No, honestly this is the 'cleanest' version of the game. A little boring without more people."
"So, what’s the bad version then?"
"Kissing," she replied bluntly.
Enid’s eyes widened, a bit surprised by the answer.
"That’s it? I thought they did other stuff."
"Well, I guess there are no real limits in the game… some people make you take a shot of alcohol as punishment."
"Amazing," said Enid, smiling enthusiastically.
"We’re not doing that, Enid… we’re still not allowed to drink," Maud said quickly, worried. She knew her friend well and was sure she wouldn't hesitate to suggest something off-limits.
"Fine, fine… but if we’re just playing with kisses, we can’t do it with just three people. It’d be really boring."
"We could play if we invited more people," Mildred suggested.
"Millie, this academy is girls-only," Maud reminded her.
It was obvious. Cackle’s only had girls, and most of them liked other girls. In the end, they were all teenagers dealing with hormones, new emotions, and a certain inevitable curiosity.
"So? What does that matter? It’s not like we’ve never kissed another girl, right?" Enid said with a mischievous smile, looking at her two friends.
Maud turned bright red. She had never kissed anyone. She hadn’t even had her first kiss. Mildred, on the other hand, was a different story; she wasn’t too interested in the whole kissing thing.
"None of you? You must be kidding," Enid scoffed, throwing a teasing glance at Maud.
Without saying anything else, she leaned over and planted a quick kiss on her friend’s lips. Maud jumped and pulled back instantly, her cheeks flushed and her eyes wide, staring at Enid in disbelief, who just smiled like nothing had happened.
"Don’t look at me like that. Besides, I’ve always thought you were a pretty girl."
Mildred let out a small laugh. Maud was frowning, cheeks red, and looked like she was about to throw herself at Enid and strangle her.
"What are you laughing at? I’m kissing you too!" Enid exclaimed, crawling on her knees toward her.
But Mildred, as quick as ever, stood up and left the room for a while.
"Hey, that’s not fair! Come back and I’ll give you some kisses!"
She let out a short laugh. She knew Enid wouldn’t do it. After all, it was clear her friend had feelings for Maud. So she decided to leave them alone for a little longer.
Meanwhile, she strolled calmly through the dark hallways of the academy.
She was surprised to run into Izzy Jones in the corridor; the girl looked a bit down.
"What’s wrong, Izzy?" Mildred walked up to ask.
The girl looked up to see the older student.
"I... nothing, just a little bored."
"Hmm... Want to come to my room? Enid, Maud, and I are playing, but we need more people."
Izzy smiled. It would be fun to hang out with the girl she admired so much. Plus, she could bring Azura too.
"Yeah, but let me bring Azura with me."
Mildred smiled, made a small gesture, and Izzy ran off to her room to find her friend. She sighed for a moment and got ready to head back to her room. Enid and Maud were probably getting along by now.
"What game is it?"
Mildred jumped slightly when she saw Felicity peeking through the door to her room. The girl seemed to have overheard something.
"Ah... spin the bottle," she replied a bit nervously.
"Is that a non-magical game?" Felicity asked.
"Yes, but you can dare the person in different ways, or make them say a truth... or you can change it and just give kisses."
"Alright, I’m in... and Ethel’s definitely coming too," the dark-haired girl smiled.
"I won’t!"
A voice came from inside the room. It was Ethel. The blonde stumbled out of Felicity’s room, shaking her head and rejecting any kind of invitation.
"Yes, she will," Felicity said, closing the door. Inside, the muffled sounds of them arguing could be heard.
Mildred sighed and continued on her way back to her room.
However, along the way, she ran into three younger girls.
"Sybil, Clarice, and Beatrice?"
The three turned to face the older girl and smiled.
"What were you doing?"
They all quickly shook their heads, though Mildred figured it out when she saw a cookie fall from Beatrice’s pocket. That could only mean one thing: the girls had been sneaking around the kitchen.
"Forget it," Mildred said, already knowing why they were wandering the halls.
"We heard you talking to Felicity. We want to play too!" Clarice said after swallowing the cookies she had in her mouth.
"Really? You want to come?"
All three nodded quickly. Well, there was nothing more to say, because at that very moment, when Mildred turned her head slightly, she spotted Izzy, Azura, Felicity, and a very angry Ethel — all ready to go and play the game.
They were all sitting in a circle, with the bottle placed in the center. Enid had suggested they play the kiss version, barely caring that there were first-years in the group.
Tension rose when someone — no one knew exactly who — left a small box at the door containing a bottle of sweet liquor and a few shot glasses. An unexpected touch, courtesy of Mabel Tapioca, who hadn’t been able to join because she was with her mother on a short trip to visit her grandparents.
How did she know about the game?
No one had any idea, but it was Mabel. If anyone could know everything that happened in the school, it was her. She had eyes and ears everywhere.
"Well, we can start or I’m leaving," snapped Ethel, visibly annoyed.
Everyone looked at each other. Ethel huffed in frustration and spun the bottle; she just hoped it wouldn’t land on someone she couldn’t stand… or worse.
The bottle stopped at Sybil.
"I won’t do it!" Ethel refused immediately, scowling.
Not only was she a third-year student... it was her younger sister! Kissing her was unthinkable, even if it was just an innocent game. It was way too awkward.
"Come on, Ethel, it’s just a little kiss… don’t chicken out," Enid teased, clearly amused.
But Ethel had made up her mind. She wouldn’t do it.
"Then, as per the rules: if you don’t do the dare, you drink," Felicity announced with a mischievous grin.
She uncorked the bottle, and a sweet apple scent filled the room. She poured a shot and handed it to Ethel, who drank it down without hesitation.
"Alright, let the game continue," she said, placing the empty glass firmly on the floor.
Sybil timidly spun the bottle. It stopped on Izzy, who immediately turned bright red.
Sybil sighed and, without saying a word, leaned in toward Izzy. She placed a quick kiss on the other girl’s lips and then returned to her spot, clearly embarrassed. Both had flushed cheeks.
"Bravo! Mini Hallow, you’re so brave!" Enid cheered, raising her arm in celebration of the young Sybil’s boldness.
Izzy spun the bottle. It stopped in front of Felicity, who, without a second’s hesitation, leaned in and planted a big kiss on the first-year girl. Izzy turned completely red, eyes wide open.
Felicity smiled with satisfaction, grabbed the bottle, and gave it a spin. The tip stopped on Mildred.
"I’ll pass this time," she said with a shrug, opening the bottle and pouring herself a shot.
Nervously, Mildred took her turn and spun the bottle. Surprisingly, it pointed straight at Enid.
"The bottle has spoken," Enid declared with a mischievous grin, crawling toward Mildred with clearly un-innocent intentions.
The kiss started simple, almost shy… but Enid didn’t take long to deepen it. Her lips moved confidently, and the room’s temperature spiked in an instant. When they pulled apart, a thin string of saliva still connected them.
"Felicity... give me another shot," Ethel muttered, turning toward her friend.
Of course, Felicity didn’t deny her. She quickly poured and handed over the glass. Ethel downed it in one go.
"Shit... now that was hot."
They all turned to look at Felicity, who froze, wearing a smile that was both nervous and guilty.
“I’m sorry,” she said quietly.
Enid took her turn and spun the bottle. The neck pointed to Clarice.
“Enid…” Maud whispered, a bit worried.
Clarice swallowed hard. Enid approached her with a kind smile and gave her a kiss. It wasn’t more than a slow, lingering peck. There was no tongue, no intensity… just a gentle pressure that lasted a little longer than expected.
When they parted, Clarice’s face was completely red. She took a breath and spun the bottle with trembling hands. It stopped on Azura.
Clarice didn’t want to kiss the girl. She didn’t want to drink either… but the rules were clear.
“I want to drink,” she finally said.
Felicity’s eyes widened in surprise, but she didn’t ask questions. She poured a small glass, which Clarice brought to her lips without hesitation. The taste was sweet, almost deceptive, but like any liquor, the effect was immediate. Warmth rose to her cheeks and her heart pounded fast.
She left the glass on the floor… and mustered up the courage.
She turned toward Azura and kissed her. This time it wasn’t fleeting. She applied what she had seen Enid do and allowed herself to go a little further. She wasn’t exactly sure what she was doing, but she didn’t stop.
When they parted, both were flushed, breathing heavily. No one said a word. Only some muffled giggles and exchanged glances between conspirators and the surprised.
Definitely, this night was going to be long… way too long.
The game continued.
Azura spun the bottle forcefully, making everyone hold their breath for a moment. It spun several times before stopping in front of Ethel, who in any other circumstance would have refused without hesitation. But tonight she had already drunk enough for her judgment to start slipping away like the foam in her glass.
She licked her lips and leaned toward Azura, giving her a firm, unhurried kiss. Then, as if nothing happened, she returned to her seat and spun the bottle again. This time luck fell on Beatrice.
“Why always girls?” she complained half-heartedly before leaning in and stealing a quick kiss from Bea, with a cheeky smile.
Bea laughed and spun the bottle, which stopped in front of Maud. Without hesitation, she approached her and gave her a slow, brief kiss, with a tenderness that made Maud look at her a second longer than necessary.
Now it was Maud’s turn, who spun the bottle and this time it stopped in front of Sybil. Maud didn’t seem bothered; she just smiled and leaned in to give her a brief but affectionate kiss, as if it were already routine.
Sybil, visibly blushing, took her turn. The bottle spun and stopped in front of Mildred. The blonde swallowed hard.
“Can I…?” she looked at Felicity, who understood without needing to finish the sentence.
“She can’t! She’s too young to drink,” protested Ethel, visibly soberer than before.
But Felicity just shrugged and poured her a shot. Sybil drank it in one gulp, wrinkling her nose at the taste, then approached Mildred.
She sat on her lap awkwardly, placed her hands on her shoulders, and kissed her. At first, it was timid, just a brush, but little by little the kiss became more intense. Mildred wrapped her hands around her waist, while Sybil clung to her neck, closing her eyes.
Silence took over the room. When they parted, Sybil returned to her seat with a flushed face and a thin layer of sweat on her forehead.
Mildred, somewhat bewildered, spun the bottle. And the mischievous luck pointed at Ethel.
The blonde stood with a firm expression, walked over to Mildred, took her face with both hands, and planted an intense, determined, almost territorial kiss on her. Mildred let out a soft moan through her lips, and Ethel, upon separating, licked her own lips.
“You’re mine,” she whispered. She didn’t shout it, but everyone heard.
And then the game picked up pace.
Ethel, now completely uninhibited, ended up kissing Maud, Enid, Felicity, and even Sybil, without hesitation or shame.
Sybil didn’t fall behind either: she kissed Clarice at least ten times amid laughter and didn’t hesitate to repeat it with Felicity and even with Izzy, with whom she seemed to share unexpected chemistry.
Maud kissed Enid as if she were the only person in the room, and Enid, clearly delighted, didn’t hesitate to deepen the kiss.
Izzy, as a true agent of chaos, kissed everyone present at some point. From a silly kiss to Clarice to an unexpectedly slow one with Mildred. But the one she seemed to enjoy most was Sybil, whom she kept seeking with both her eyes… and lips.
The atmosphere grew thick. The heat of flushed cheeks, stifled laughter, empty glasses, and sighs floating beneath the blankets.
Finally, the bottle lay empty, thrown on the floor, while all of them — drunk and exhausted — huddled in Mildred’s room, unable to return to their dormitories.
It had been a long night. And it wasn’t over yet.
They were all standing in front of Miss Hardbroom, who looked like she was about to explode. Her face was the very image of displeasure as she surveyed the group of girls she had found sprawled across the floor of Mildred Hubble’s room, the unmistakable and unpleasant scent of liquor hanging in the air.
The ten girls could barely keep their eyes open. Some complained softly about headaches, others simply swayed in place, wishing they didn’t exist.
“I hope you find it very amusing to have disobeyed the rules of this institution,” Hecate thundered, arms crossed. “And to stay awake past curfew, as well as to bring alcohol — a completely forbidden substance — into this academy.”
“We’re sorry, Miss Hardbroom… but could you not speak so loudly?” Mildred complained, pressing her temples with her fingers.
For a moment, it seemed like steam might come out of Hecate’s ears.
“All right, girls…” Miss Cackle intervened, as always much more understanding. “You will receive a potion for your headaches, but you must promise never to drink again.”
Against all odds, they got lucky. No one called their parents. No one was expelled. They would only be punished for a whole month. A fair punishment… though for some, almost mild.
…
“We have to do it again,” Enid smiled as she had breakfast with her friends… and her now-girlfriend.
“We won’t. I couldn’t stand seeing you kiss any other girl but me,” Maud replied, raising her voice a little more than necessary.
Enid looked down obediently.
“Yes, darling…”
A loud laugh shattered the tense atmosphere.
“Don’t tell me the great Enid Nightshade has been dominated!” Ethel teased, laughing even harder at the sight of her blushing friend.
“If you don’t shut up, the one getting dominated will be someone else,” Mildred murmured from her seat without taking her eyes off her plate.
Ethel shrank a little, lowering her gaze with an embarrassed smile.
“Yes, my love…” she whispered, resigned.
Felicity couldn’t help but laugh. After such a wild night, several of her friends already had partners… and she was just beginning to date someone.
Sybil was in a similar situation, constantly receiving shy notes from Izzy, left on her desk or handed to her in person, with flushed cheeks and a nervous smile.
Though she had also started receiving little gifts from Azura, which complicated things a bit.
Clarice and Beatrice remained close friends, of course… but Clarice didn’t hide her annoyance every time she saw Izzy hanging around Sybil with a little present in hand.
“I agree with Enid,” Felicity chimed in, cheerful. “We should do it again. Meet up during the holidays, go to a party… something more exciting than being stuck here.”
Everyone looked at her. Some smiled openly. Others exchanged knowing glances.
And though no one said it out loud, they all knew they would.