Momma time! (Stella/Hime)

THE FIRE OF ENVY NEVER DIES

THE FLAME THAT BURNS THE BRIGHTEST

So, that’s Momma, huh?

Veralia’s gaze lingered on Carla, a mix of curiosity and something sharper beneath the surface. As she watched Stella interact with her mother, a pang of envy stirred within her chest, a feeling she hadn’t anticipated. Memories from her own human life were a jumbled blur, distant and faded, with no faces or voices to recall. As far as she knew, she had no parents or family—no one who’d looked out for her, nurtured her, or shared moments of warmth and safety.

She sucked in a quiet breath, forcing herself to swallow the bitterness, yet it simmered all the same. That flicker of resentment had nothing to do with Stella, of course. If anything, she was happy her partner had someone like this—a piece of family, a piece of love, that Veralia had never truly known. Still, she couldn’t help but wonder what it would be like to have a mother who cared enough to be in her life, to be the anchor she could turn to.

"Lucky Stella~ Your mom seems nice."

Walking over to Stella from behind, she would give her a gentle hug to quiet her nerves and quell the small blubbing of envy growing within herself as her eyes darted to the side and then back to Carla.

"And my name's Veralia. It's a pleasure to meet you, Carla."

With a large, warm smile, she would then hold out her hand to shake Carla's after she had finished hugging Stella.

"I take it you have a million and one questions for me, hm?"

"Quite a few, in fact, but I think that sort of conversation would be best held at the food court. So you're Stella's girlfriend..."

Carla took a moment to let that sink in. She wasn't offended, of course. She trusted Stella's judgment. It just never dawned on her that... she would fall in love with an Arrancar. Time and again, she'd told Stella to be careful and watch herself around them, but now she was dating one. There always be some sense of worry about this, but Veralia could certainly earn her trust. Now was a golden opportunity. Pointing a finger at the food court, she'd walked alongside the two of them as she posed a question to Veralia.

"So, how did you two meet?"

THE FIRE OF ENVY NEVER DIES

THE FLAME THAT BURNS THE BRIGHTEST

Veralia chuckled, her eyes lost in thought as she reminisced on the day she met Stella. There were many dark intentions she initially had, but that damn soft, bubbly nature of Stella was too precious to corrupt and tame in her mind. The thought brought a low, amused giggle to her lips, a rare warmth surfacing in the empty corners of her envious soul.

"Mmmmmmmm, we both may have different viewpoints of that day~"

She couldn't help but be a tease, a playful smirk accompanying her words. As they approached the food court, Veralia twirled her right index finger through her hair, her mind still carefully shaping the story.

"But we met in a park by chance~ Some Quincy had killed some hollows, and she was baffled I didn't raise my hand against her. "

She turned her gaze toward Stella, sneaking her hand into her beloved’s and interlocking their fingers. With a quick kiss on Stella’s cheek, Veralia’s grin widened, her playfulness momentarily giving way to something softer.

"One thing led to another and we started to spar and train together~ We got closer and closer until it just sort of...clicked."

There was a quiet satisfaction in her tone, though she kept the details sparse. Veralia saw no need to overload Carla with the more intricate parts of their first encounter—it wasn’t the time for that. If Stella wanted to expand on the story, Veralia was happy to let her take the reins. For now, the memory of how they had come together was enough to bring a gentle, rare warmth to her voice.

"Is that so?"

Carla blinked softly as she listened to Veralia in relative silence. From the sounds of it, it seemed as though the two of them had met by chance and went from there. Thankfully, nothing about her explanation so far roused suspicion, even if she was still adapting to the idea and thought of seeing her daughter with an Arrancar. From her point of view, at least, Stella appeared to be happy, but that didn't exactly mean Veralia had earned all her trust. Just enough to hold a cordial conversation. In the meantime, she'd offer them a few menus to look at as she looked at the food court venues.

"Now, then... if you don't mind my asking, and as a mother, it's only right that I pose this question - what are your long-term plans with my daughter? Is she some passing fancy of yours or someone you see a genuine future with?"

She didn't mince her words with this question, nor did she see the need to. After all, this was her precious child. Her pride and joy. If there were any ill intentions on Veralia's part, she'd want to make note of it now. Stella possessed a kind heart, and that made her far too trusting for her own good. She hoped that trust was well-placed.

THE FIRE OF ENVY NEVER DIES

THE FLAME THAT BURNS THE BRIGHTEST

Veraia had already picked out the perfect Echinlada and had set her menu down. It was a good thing as her blood eyes on Stella losing her shit, then back to Carla's no bullshit attitude. It brought a slight chuckle to her mouth as the two couldn't be more different in her eyes; yet that familiar look was unmistakable to Veralia.

So, since she could appreciate the bluntness, Veralia would nood and address her concerns.

"At first, I had more foul thoughts about your daughter,"

She admitted, her tone firm yet sincere.

"I’m not going to bullshit you about that."

She reached out with her right hand, brushing it affectionately over Stella’s head, her smile softening as she continued.

"Hell, I still don’t think I’m the best woman for her. But your daughter… she has this aura about her, something that changes people. She made me feel… loved? Yeah, I think that’s the word."

As she spoke, Veralia's gaze shifted to the side, a faint blush dusting her cheeks as she let out a soft snort. It was rare for her to be this vulnerable, but she pushed through the discomfort and resolved herself to honesty.

"And I can tell she’d do anything for me. So, I want to give her that same care."

As she continued to go on, her voice grew quieter, tinged with a rare fragility as her eyes never left Carla's.

"I’ve lived a long life full of envy, bitterness, hate, and isolation. To have someone like her—someone I can actually care for—it’s scary. It’s new. But I don’t want to break that purity. If that makes sense."

She glanced back at Stella when done addressing Carla, her expression steady, hoping her words carried the sincerity she felt in her heart.

"You definitely should be concerned with us Arrancar. As even now, I feel twinges of envy for her… for having a mother who seems to love her so deeply."

Her gaze flickered momentarily toward Stella before softening as she continued.

"But I’m trying to reframe that, Not just as envy, but as hope. Hope that maybe, in the future, I could have someone who’ll be there for me in a similar way. I don’t remember my human parents—if I ever had them—so I hope she knows how lucky she is to still have that connection."