It’s almost the end of August! Good luck to everyone going back to school, work, or whatever else you might be up to this fall. Even if summer is ending, at least we’ve got a lot of good weather to look forward to.
A bit of a change this time around – I took the picture and Oxer edited it! She did a wonderful job sprucing it up. Teamwork pays off, kids.
Enjoy this update, which includes some cuteness from Nick and a very pissed-off Hana. Happy reading!
– Wysteria ❤
— Hana
When you’re running around chasing sins, a lot happens in a month.
Back home, our team would get a few jobs a week. I tended to be on most of them, along with Nick (Reiner never let me go out without a healer). This, on the other hand, is 24/7, and it’s exhausting, even for me. I’m in better shape now than ever before, thanks to lugging bags and scouring towns for decent stuff to eat. I haven’t given up on that, nor have I given up on making Nick go to hotel gyms with me. I bribed him with the promise of buff guys. He muttered something about Elias.
Valk’s ankle is okay now, so that’s something. She’s hobbling around on crutches like they’re stilettos. We haven’t had to carry her much, but I’m ready to volunteer, and I try to help her walk when I can. At least she’s taken care of.
And we play punch buggy. She calls it slug bug, which is adorable. I keep getting distracted by the music on her MP3 player – it’s alternative stuff, very relaxing, which is right up my alley – so I’m pretty sure she’s winning. Regardless, I have no intention of giving in. I will watch every damn car if that’s what it takes.
She’s so intense about it, and every time she gets a point she lights up like a Christmas tree. It’s the cutest thing. And much better than our previous dynamic, I might add.
So that’s how we pass the time, while Elias combs for leads and Nick flirts with him (he still hasn’t stopped that). We pass through weird rural places that haven’t seen visitors in decades and hole up in cute hotels. Honestly, it could be worse. It’s kind of nice, moving around, seeing new stuff.
Granted, it would be nicer without the sins and Nick’s state of “I’m a failure because I couldn’t heal somebody.” And Valk’s crutches. And the team incubus.
But back to the Nick thing.
I find him awake the night after Sloth, which isn’t unusual, but there’s something different this time. Usually he’s all sunny; just getting close to him feels like a hug. But now he’s curled up with his book and glasses and his hair tied back, which would be the picture of peace if his face wasn’t so sad.
I climb into bed beside him, the mattress groaning. “Rough day, huh.”
He glances up with a sigh. “Yeah.” His eyes flick back to the book, the same copy of The Odyssey he’s had for years. It’s battered beyond repair and older than both of us combined.
“I just… I’m supposed to be able to handle this stuff.” He turns to me, eyes lowered like a scolded dog. “…Am I a disappointment?”
“Nick, hon, no. Of course you’re not.” I grab his shoulders and drag him into a hug. He slumps into my arms like a teddy bear. “Today just wasn’t your day. Valk’s fine, and we still love you.”
He sighs and closes his eyes but doesn’t respond.
+ Phoenix
I think a lot about what Elias and Hana said.
———————
The pain dulls as the month goes on. Of course I still feel bad – all this could have been avoided – but I focus on keeping Valk happy. That, and subtly positioning myself between Elias and the edges of staircases, glass walls, or anything else with a steep drop. We don’t take any elevators.
Hana doesn’t yell at me anymore when I talk to “Satan,” as she so lovingly calls him. It’s not for a lack of annoyance, just an unwillingness to scare Valk, but I take full advantage of it. When she’s not around to glare, I throw in a little compliment about the piercing that sometimes peeks out from behind his braid or how he looks particularly nice in the sunset light (but who am I kidding, he always looks nice). And without blushing, now! How we’ve grown.
I mean every word, of course, and it’s nice to see the cloud of stress on his face lift, if only for a second.
So I split my time evenly between helping Valk, talking to Hana, and keeping Elias company. It’s nice to be around him. When he isn’t so tense, it’s a warm, comforting presence.
But then he announces that we’re visiting Valk’s team. It all goes to hell from there.
——————-
I can’t see two feet in front of the car. It’s a miracle Elias manages to drive in this weather; a heavy mist hangs over everything, like it’s got something to hide, and the air is thick with the smell of wet leaves. In the middle of it all, the house we’re approaching looks much more inviting – lopsided in a homey sort of way.
Elias helps Valk out of the backseat. As I’m heading for the door with Hana, I catch the looks on both of their faces – far beyond nervousness. Valk is crying again, and there’s something about the tension in Elias’s expression that makes me think I’m missing something important.
I throw Hana a look. She shrugs.
We follow them up to the front door, as if nothing’s wrong, and wait for an answer.
For a minute, there’s nothing but a muffled shout from inside and rapid footsteps. Then the door creaks open. In the frame stands a guy covered in paint – it’s splattered in his hair and caked on his arms – and the minute he sees us, his face breaks into a smile like we’ve just returned from war.
“Valkie!” he cries, springing forward to sweep Valk off her crutches and spin her around. His face is lit up despite the rain, focused only on her, like he sees nothing else.
And then he kisses her.
I choke.
— Hana
I’m gonna fight this kid.
I’m frozen on the doorstep, unaware of the rain splashing on my skin as this asshole, with his stupid artsy paint splatters, scoops Valk up and kisses her.
I want to scream but can’t even squeak. Honestly, the nerve! In front of three people, and this jackass holds it way too long before he finally puts Valk down. I glare at him the whole time.
Happy she’s here. Bullshit. Give her a hug if you’re so happy.
Valk inches away with the face of a computer going through an error screen. A glint of satisfaction lodges in my chest as she shuffles up beside me. I spare her a glance, give her shoulder a nudge. Then I go back to glaring at the kiss culprit, inching closer to her for good measure.
Now there are tears in his eyes – oh, joy. “Thanks for bringing Valk back home,” he croaks. “Really. It means… so much. I don’t know who you are or what y’all have been through, but I honestly don’t know what I’d do if–”
Yeah yeah, I think, resisting the urge to roll my eyes. I’ll acknowledge, though, that we do have similar reactions to seeing Elias.
I don’t pay much attention to their exchange. I just glare at the kid until he retreats inside, saying he’s going to do damage control. Good, now he’s out of the way.
…Alright, alright, that was a little bitchy. A lot bitchy. Still. What kind of asshole just walks up and kisses Valk?
Someone coughs to my left. Nick is gaping at her from behind his Elias shield, very obviously trying not to stare, but looking like he just swallowed a bug. He clears his throat. “Was that your, uh, boyfriend?”
Satisfaction gone. Fire erupts in my chest.
Impossible. No way. She would’ve mentioned a boyfriend. And I can take minimal comfort in the look on her face – I hate seeing her scared, but no one looks at their datemate like that. Not like this just came out of left field.
I huff and fold my arms.
Saligiare 