Chapter Text
“Hey Bea, can I borrow your phone I want to check something!”
“Where is your own phone?”
“Left it at the bar!” Ava pranced over to the bedside table and reached for the Sister Warrior’s phone.
“Ava!”
Unlocking the phone with her fingerprint, the warrior nun did not bother to respond.
When she tapped on the search bar, the past searches appeared, and Ava’s mouth ticked upwards. As she went through the searches, a fond “Bea” escaped.
“intext: period cramps + remedies + medication”
“Shit!” Ava gasped from the bathroom. Beatrice immediately snapped to high alert. Whipping the towel off her neck, she wrapped it around both hands.
Glancing at the sole shadow underneath the door, Beatrice forced herself to relax a tiny smidge. “Ava? What’s wrong?”
“Wha – no!” Ava screeched. “Bea, I think I just got my period.”
Beatrice sighed and prepared to walk away. “Alright, there are pads and tampons underneath the sink.”
“Wait!”
“Yes?”
“What do I do?”
“Pardon?”
“I have never done this before! What do I do?”
“You’ve – “
“Bound to a bed since seven, remember? Please help, I am freaking the hell out right now.”
Mechanically doing a cross at the curse, Beatrice kicked herself mentally. She should have anticipated this and prepared Ava for it. Now, the other girl was making worrying noises in the toilet, no doubt knocking everything over.
“Okay, just breathe Ava. First, you have to – “
---------
“Bea, it hurts. Why does it hurt like a son of a bitch!” The warrior nun laid on the bed, wiggling around to find a comfortable position. “Shit!”
“Language.” Beatrice chided half-heartedly as she kneeled beside the bed. “Here, I made you warm chocolate and here’s some Panadol for the pain too.”
“How do you know I am not allergic to it?”
“Allergies to paracetamol are rather uncommon but you’re right, if we want to be cautious, we can – “
A hand reached out and before she knew it, Ava had swallowed the pills. Poking her tongue out at the taste, her nose scrunched up adorably.
Beatrice smiled, “Guess we will find out.”
Ava groaned and flopped back onto the bed. The sister warrior shook her head fondly as she gingerly placed the warm bottle she prepared on Ava. In response, the warrior nun melted into the mattress and her eyes slid close.
Pulling the duvet and tucking her in, Beatrice could not help but give in to the feeling of domesticity. Brushing the hair out of her face, she bent down and gave her a quick forehead kiss.
“Relax, Ava. I will tell Hans you can’t make it for your shift.”
“You’re good at this.” Ava mumbled into the pillow.
“Hm?”
“Taking care of people.” Ava’s furrowed brows relaxed as the pain eased. “Taking care of me.
“Rest well, Ava.”
‘food’ + ‘height impediment antidotes’
Beatrice’s brows furrowed as she watched the two bartenders swat at each other.
“I’m young, Hans. I have lots of room to grow.” Ava laughed. “Watch it, I’m going to have a growth spurt next week and you will be the short one.”
“You’re a pipsqueak. Barely one-sixty. Even if you grow two centimeters a month you still won’t be taller than me come December.” Hans chortled.
“Well yeah, your face is two centimeters.” The warrior nun spluttered.
Hans snorted, “What does that even mean?”
“Yeah, I don’t know how long a centimeter is.”
Both of them guffawed and continued playfighting. One of them knocked over a bottle and it smashed onto the floor. The two bartenders froze dramatically, eyes zoning in on Beatrice who barely reacted.
Beatrice’s frown deepened.
Ava had the halo for almost half a year now and she had not shown signs of growing taller. Beatrice knew that it was rather unusual for people to grow after eighteen years of age. Still, she hoped that with a mixture of a good diet and some magical intervention from the halo, Ava would continue to live and grow healthily.
Resolving to research more nutritious recipes, Beatrice mentally shuffled her schedule so she could head to the market before going home that evening.
Hans and Ava took in her solemn expression, exchanged a look, and immediately scrambled to clear up their mess.
“Puns”
“Jokes”
“Nun puns”
“Alcohol puns”
“Puns” + “Alcohol”
“How to tell a joke”
“Top jokes”
“Comedic timing”
“Fine Motor Exercises” + “Fun”
Beatrice laid out the coloring book on their dining table and set out the box of colored pencils neatly on the side, opening it halfway to reveal sharpened tips.
“Bea, what’s this?” Ava tilted her head in that frustratingly endearing way of hers.
“This is a coloring exercise.”
“Way to make it sound fun, Bea.”
“I figured it would suffice as an engaging way to train your dexterity in your fingers.”
“Ha I don’t need nimble fingers to throw a punch.” Ava bounced from foot to foot as she punched at the air.
“Yes,” Beatrice conceded. “But dexterous fingers are useful in other areas of your life.”
Ava stopped abruptly and turned a bright shade of red. Beatrice raised an eyebrow and Ava turned away, sitting down at the table.
“These are so pretty!” The warrior nun awed at the illustrations in the book. Beatrice opted for a whimsical-looking one that had drawings of tiny bunnies in a carrot house and meerkats in a tea cup on the cover. It was more expensive than the other books available but Ava’s expression, as predicted, was worth it.
“I’m glad you like it!” Beatrice sat down.
“Color with me?” Ava’s gleeful expression was contagious and Beatrice’s grin widened.
“Of course.”
“What color should I make the rabbit?”
“Traditionally, rabbits come in shades of white, grey, brown or black.”
“These are magical rabbits, Bea.”
“What makes you think that they have magic?”
“They are literally inside a carrot. Of course they are magical.”
“Right.”
“Hey Bea?”
“If I were a rabbit, would you feed me carrots?”
“No.”
“BEA!” Ava sounded absolutely devastated.
“Rabbits don’t really like carrots or root vegetables. I will give you a balanced diet of hay, some small vegetable, and apples.”
“I love that you always match my energy.”
“I have no idea what that means.”
“Ha. Love you, Bea.”
Beatrice could feel her heart growing impossibly big, beating against her ribs recklessly.
“Love you too, Ava.”
“Top horror movies of all time”
Beatrice jumped as the spirit appeared on the screen again, eliciting a scream out of the main character and a nearly audible whimper from the sister warrior.
She stealthily looked to the right, where a stray cushion lay on the other end of the couch. If she was fast enough, she could reach for it and Ava would not notice.
A quick glance to her side showed that the warrior nun was riveted by the action happening on screen. Seeing her chance, Beatrice darted out a hand to reach for the pillow.
Feeling marginally safer, she squeezed the pillow to her chest as yet another jump scare sent her heart racing.
A nudge to her side made her jump.
“Bea, you okay there?”
Beatrice cleared her throat. “Yeah, just – “
“Are you scared?”
“No, I do not fear demons.”
Ava paused the movie and Beatrice ducked her head in embarrassment.
“I thought you liked horror movies?” Ava sounded really amused.
Beatrice could feel a flush creeping up her neck as she pushed her face into the pillow in her hands. “You mentioned that you always wanted to watch one because the nuns at the orphanage did not allow you to.”
Beatrice felt Ava shifting around the sofa and before she could figure out what was going on, she was pulled into a comforting hug as Ava climbed onto her lap. Ava placed a quick kiss on her temple before nuzzling into her neck.
All tension from watching the show bled out of Beatrice as she wrapped her arm around Ava.
“You’re too good for me.” Ava mumbled, her breath tickling her neck and sending goosebumps down her spine.
“It’s just a movie.”
“Too good.” Ava repeated.
Beatrice shrugged. She was not sure how long it would be appropriate to hug a friend, in this particular position, but strangely, she felt no inclination to find out. She was comfortable like this. She wished she could stay like this forever.
Ava hummed and Beatrice squeezed tighter.
Beatrice sighed contentedly. “You deserve all the good things.”
“Ava? What’s wrong?”
Startled, Ava nearly dropped the phone. “Nothing!”
“You’re crying!”
“Huh?” Ava reached for her face and her fingers came off wet.
“Are you hurt somewhere?” Beatrice sounded frantic.
Ava chuckled and tossed the phone onto the bed.
“I love you, Bea.” Leaving her no chance to respond, Ava wrapped her arms around Beatrice’s shoulders and squeezed. “You are so good to me. I will do anything for you.”
“Why are you saying this?” Beatrice broke the hug and took Ava’s face into her hands. Her fingers wiped at her cheeks and all Ava could feel was love, love, and love.
“Just figured out some stuff.” Ava chuckled wetly.
When the war against Adriel ends and they win, Ava would make sure that Beatrice would get the best fucking life she deserved.