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“Well that was one heck of a fight.” Edric yawned, stretching out his back which cracked at the motion, much to his delight.
“Seriously, Ed?” Amity frowned. “That's really all you have to say after hearing all of... all of that?!”
“Easy there, sister,” Edric smiled, ruffling Amity’s hair despite her clear exasperation, the act of which only amplified it. “Don’t get me wrong, even I understand how serious all of this is, but it’s 7 PM on a school night which means we have bigger problems waiting at home. Besides, there's not much we can do about it now except figure out where Luz is and move forward from there.”
“Wise words, little brother.” Emira grinned as she walked over to check on her siblings, having made her first rounds of checking on the people that had gotten injured in the fight. She was tired, but overall very content with herself. “He’s right, Mittens, there’s no use fretting over it tonight.”
“I guess,” Amity grumbled, the looming threat of the Day of Unity weighing heavy in the back of her mind.
“I can’t believe you agree with me and still decide to be annoying about it,” Edric grumbled in Emira’s direction, though he really should have guessed she’d be like this. “I’m only younger by three minutes, Shorty.”
“Careful with that, Ed,” Emira said, an eyebrow raised. “Maybe I’m still gonna get a growth spurt, and then I’ll have five inches on you instead of the other way around. In which case I’ll get to call you both.”
“Can you two be serious for one second!” Amity hissed. “If we don’t do something we’re all going to die! Which part of that do you not understand?!”
“Mittens, hey.” Edric placed a hand on her shoulder to comfort her. “It’ll be alright. I’m sure we’ll reach Luz and find a way to join her and the others sooner or later.”
Amity didn’t look up. She seemed unconvinced.
“Hey now, don’t look so glum.” Emira ruffled her sister’s hair. “Edric is right, we’re going to figure this out. But right now, you two need to get home before it gets any later. I sent a raven to let our parents know you and Ed got held up helping me here at school so you should be okay when you return,” Emira explained, glancing back and forth between her siblings. “That said, it’s probably best not to push it so if you aren’t hurt, you two should head home.”
“But what about you?” Amity asked. “Aren’t you coming with us?”
“Nah, I’m going to stick around a bit longer to help get folks patched up,” Emira explained. “I’ll head home in a bit.”
Ed frowned. “Mom isn’t gonna like that.”
“She doesn’t have to,” Em shrugged, pushing any lingering thoughts of future punishment from her mind.
“And if she asks where you are?” Amity implored.
“Hm.” Emira paused, chewing the question over in her head for a moment. “Just tell her I’m out with a friend.”
“A friend, huh?” Edric grinned, wiggling his eyebrows in amusement and leaning on her a little too hard.
Amity got on her other side, which helped prevent Edric from accidentally knocking both of them over, but - delightfully and also annoyingly - she also seemed way too amused about this.
“Go home, Ed.” Emira remained unamused.
Amity outright snorted at that. “What, so you can dish out teasing about crushes but not take it? This is the least you deserve after how much me and Ed had to take from you.”
“That was different!” Emira tried to defend herself. “I’m your older sister. That means I get different teasing rights than you.”
“Older by three minutes, Em,” Edric said, at the same time as Amity burst out “it so does not.”
“That’s still older, so it counts. You’ll understand when you’re my age,” Emira said, grinning at both of them. “Now get home before it gets any later.”
“Fine, fine.” Edric rolled his eyes. “As the queen demands. Let’s go, Mittens.”
“Be careful, Em,” Amity said before turning from her sister and summoning her staff to depart.
“When am I not?”
“Do you really want me to answer that?”
“I’m so proud of how snarky you’re getting.” Edric put a hand to his heart, which made Amity roll her eyes. He looked over to Em. “We raised her well.”
“That we did.” They high-fived. “Now shoo. I mean it. I’ve got patients to get back to, and you’re holding me up.”
“Sure. Patients.” Edric made air quotes. “And not, perhaps, a certain friend.”
She hit the back of his staff, and he had to hold on tight so he didn’t get thrown off when it started abruptly. “Hey!”
“Later, nuisance!”
“I’ll see you at home, jerk!” Edric shouted back, and Amity took off to catch up to him.
“Take care!”
But speaking of that “friend”, where is she, anyway, Em wondered as she watched her siblings’ silhouettes disappear on the horizon. Making her way back towards the center of the Hexside quad, Emira scanned the space back and forth, taking note of the students who remained and gauging who still needed help. Stopping briefly to help heal a few cuts and bruises belonging to several classmates, Em worked quietly as her peers discussed the day's events and their worries for the future. Her mind elsewhere, she continued forward, muttering only humbled words of accepted thanks in response to her classmate’s gratitude for her work.
She probably already left, you dummy, Emira thought to herself. What reason would she have to wait around for you after you were such an asshole? Breathing a sigh of frustration, Em reluctantly made her way to the steps that led up to the school, her search turning out unfruitful. Spotting her bag at the top of the staircase, Em sighed, clenching her jaw and bracing herself in preparation for the agonizing journey back home.
Two steps in and a dozen more negative thoughts in tow, a pained yelp followed by several chastising barks stopped Emira in her tracks. Turning on her heel to find the source - more on instinct than willfully - she scanned the quad once more, this time eyeing the “friend” she had been searching for. Pondering her next course of action, Em paused momentarily, wanting to think of what she’d say upon meeting up lest she make their current situation even more turbulent.
Much to her dismay, however, her legs did not get the memo detailing said pause, carrying her forward as her body’s autopilot took full control and all commands from her brain directing otherwise were disengaged.
“Vi, that looks bad.” Emira watched Jerbo grimace, the concern in his voice apparent as she entered earshot.
“It’s fine,” Viney sighed, taking a seat on a nearby bench. “I’ve had worse and besides, it’s nothing I can’t heal.”
“I don’t know. You’ve used up a lot of magic today. You might want to let someone else help you out with that,” Jerbo suggested. “I really don’t need you to pass out on me for the second time this week.”
Barcus added something of a similar nature.
Emira grimaced. Healing magic was hefty on the energy drainage. She’d learned that one the hard way. She never left the house without extra sugary snacks these days.
“I can handle it,” Viney insisted, moving slightly and then drawing in air through her teeth. Titan, that was a bad sign. “It’s probably not even broken.”
“Probably being the operative word here. And besides, can we not set the bar there?” Jerbo sounded exasperated. Emira couldn’t say she blamed him. Viney was incredibly irresponsible when it came to her own health. Pretty ironic, all things considered.
Emira moved closer and scanned her girlfriend with worried eyes. She was clutching her left arm protectively against her chest, the edges of a bloody gash visible on her forearm. Well, that couldn’t be good.
Barcus growled in agreement with Jerbo, and Viney rolled her eyes. She hadn’t spotted Emira yet - or if she had, she was pointedly ignoring her. The second option felt worse, and honestly also more likely, considering how close she was standing and how attentive a person Viney was. She was still pretty damn mad, then.
Jerbo, however, was not upset with Emira, and when he looked up from the conversation and saw her, he smiled and lifted his arm to greet her. “Here, why don’t you let your girlfriend take a look?”
“Yeah, why don’t you let your girlfriend take a look?” Emira repeated teasingly and sat down next to Viney. It was a good way to break the ice. “What did I learn healing magic for, hm?”
“I guess,” was the only response she got, and her girlfriend didn’t even look at her. She just held out her arm and winced again. Titan, Emira hated fighting with her.
“We’re just gonna… go,” Jerbo offered, apparently realizing there was some tension between them - not that that was particularly hard when they were acting so completely unlike their usual selves. Barcus whined something about not wanting to miss the drama, but at a sharp glance from Jerbo he trotted off too.
“So we’re talking again, then?” Viney asked, almost a little suspiciously. Emira really, really hated this.
“Apparently so,” was all she said in response, then went quiet to inspect her girlfriend’s injured arm. Jerbo was right, it looked awful. The cut was deep and the surrounding tissue had started to bruise, though the order of those two separate injuries was sort of unclear. She wondered if one or both were from the fall she’d taken, and subsequently regretted not going for Viney, even when she was still mad and knew her girlfriend could handle herself.
“It’s not broken,” she confirmed, “pretty sure you sprained your wrist, though. Here, let me just…” Gently holding up her girlfriend’s arm with one hand, she drew a spell circle with the other, and the skin slowly sewed itself back together until the cuts vanished completely. “There we go. That’s better. We should bandage your wrist, too, but for now you should put some ice on it to help with the swelling.” Another small spell circle and she was equipped with a proper icicle that she wrapped into one of the enormous embroidered handkerchiefs that her mother insisted she had on her and that she never used.
Viney took it from her with her uninjured hand. “You’re aware I know this stuff, right? I‘m the one who taught you.”
“Yeah, well, you weren’t acting on it, so since you’re not stupid, one would have to assume you’ve suffered temporary amnesia,” she joked. “Speaking of, how’s your head?”
She hadn’t seen exactly how the fall had gone down in all the chaos, but, mad or not, she had still paid enough attention to Viney to see her holding her head after.
“Fine.”
“Yeah, I think I’ll cast a healing spell on that area too. Not willing to take my chances with you, missy.” She winked and got to work. “I noticed you were trying to one-up me out there, by the way.”
“Not like you made it especially hard,” Viney shot back, and finally, her lips formed into a smile.
“Well, you can hardly blame me for that,” Emira said innocently once she’d finished up with working on the minor head injury. She placed her head down on the backrest of the bench so she could grin up instead of down at her girlfriend for a change. “I’m still pretty new to healing. Maybe I had a shitty teacher.”
“Okay, wow.” Viney raised both eyebrows in mock-offense. “You are the most disrespectful student I have ever had. I was going to tell you you did decent today, but so much for that.”
“Aw, you were willing to admit I’m doing great? You going soft on me?”
“You wish, Blight.” Viney rolled her eyes. “Just can’t let you ruin my reputation. I am an excellent teacher, thank you very much. Certain witches are just beyond hope, even with my help.”
“Oh stop, you’re going to make me blush.”
It would have been so easy to just keep going. Ignore they’d fought. Kiss her and forget it ever happened. But this would never work out if they couldn’t talk to each other.
“Hey, as fun as this has been, we should… probably address the fight we had,” Emira said quietly.
Viney deflated a little. “You’re right, I just-”
“No, it’s okay. I’ll start,” Em interrupted her. “I’m sorry I overstepped. I want you to know that it’s fine if you don’t think it’s a good idea for me to meet your dad yet. I can accept that, and I’m not gonna push the matter. I just want you to be honest with me. I’m told enough lies at home. If I get a choice, I’d always rather hear the uncomfortable truths.”
“Emmi, c’mere.” Viney’s uninjured arm was wrapped around her, and Em buried her head in her girlfriend’s shoulder. “I’m sorry I made you feel like I didn’t want to be seen with you. That’s not it at all.”
“Titan, I can’t believe I said that, I’m so sorry. I say such stupid shit when I get worked up,” she muffled into Viney’s shoulder. “You smell like Puddles, by the way.”
“Gee, I wonder why.” Viney chucked a little and squeezed her hand. “But I wasn’t lying to you, I promise. I know how you feel about that. I wouldn’t do that to you.”
Emira looked up. “But then why? Do you just not trust me to sneak out? I told you, I’ve done that a million times before. I’ll be fine.”
“You always say that!” Viney burst out. “But it’s never about whether you genuinely believe you’d be fine, that you wouldn’t get caught and wouldn’t get in trouble! You just don’t want me to worry. But I do! I worry! I don’t want you to get hurt, Em. Especially not over some stupid dinner with me and my dad.”
“But you’re always there to patch me up when I do, and besides, it’s never all that bad,” Emira made light, purposely avoiding eye contact and thus the concern etched on her girlfriend’s face. “And it’s definitely nothing that’s worth missing out on meeting your dad for.”
“But that's the thing - I shouldn’t have to patch you up, Em. And I don't mean that in the sense that I don’t want to or ever won’t. It just shouldn’t be the case that I need to because they shouldn’t be doing that to you,” Viney objected, wincing slightly as she repositioned herself to better face her girlfriend in opposition to her avoidance.
A tense silence falling between the pair, Emira briefly studied her girlfriend’s face, noting the sincerity in her eyes. Though they had been dating for a while now, admittedly, she was not used to receiving, let alone accepting, such care. Ergo, although in her heart she knew Viney was right, her head begged to differ. If it truly was something her parents shouldn’t be doing, then why did they do it? If, as her parents said, there were others out there who had it way worse, then surely what she had experienced was not outside the norm. And even if it was, Emira reckoned, surely it couldn’t be without reason - her parents never offered anything undeserved so as to save her and her siblings from becoming spoiled, so why should this be any different?
“Eh, it’s nothing I don't deserve,” Emira broke the silence, chuckling uncomfortably as if trying to convince herself of what she was saying. “You know how much of a handful I can be and what chaos that attracts.”
“That's not true, Em. Nothing you do could ever warrant them hurting you. I mean for Titan’s sake, Em, that abomaton took several swings at you when all you were doing was trying to heal your friends. Why your parents wouldn’t program it to not attack their own kids is beyond me, let alone attack unprovoked. Your parents, how they treat you... it’s just not right.”
“I guess,” Em muttered, shrinking in on herself slightly.
“You guess? Seriously, Em?” Viney asked incredulously.
“Ugh, fine, I know,” Em huffed, frustrated but relenting nonetheless.
“Then why-”
“Because!” Emira interjected, subsequently receiving a wide-eyed look of shock in return.
Taking a moment to regain her composure, Emira took a deep breath, using the pause to chew over her thoughts and formulate her next words.
“Because,” she began again, “it‘s easier to believe it's my fault than to admit I have shitty parents. You have to understand, Viney, as simple as admitting it sounds, it isn’t easy. It’s hard, really fucking hard in fact. Because if I do, then I have to reconcile with the fact that all of this,” Emira gestured into the air, “isn’t normal - that I don’t deserve it and that I should do something to remove myself from it. And while deep down, I know it's true whether I want to admit it or not, I don’t know if… I don’t know if I’m strong enough to deal with it... Besides, it’s more than just myself I have to think about.”
Viney slid a hand into hers. “Do you want to talk about it?”
Emira nodded apprehensively, drawing nervous circles onto the back of her girlfriend’s hand. “I’m really worried about Amity.” She chewed at her lip. “She and dad… they had a talk and he promised to do better. She believes him.”
“And you don’t,” Viney guessed.
“I want to, for her sake. She deserves a father who cares and who will listen to her. She looks up to him, always has.” Emira’s shoulders slumped. “So many things she’s done she did in hopes that he would praise her, or pay attention to her, at the very least. Just for him to notice she was there,” she explained somberly. “And it does seem like he’s trying, but… I’m worried it won’t stick. It never has. He’s always been too quick to turn a blind eye to us, especially when it comes to the shit our mother puts us through. I’m not willing to open myself to it when I’d just get hurt again. Mittens is a smart kid, and she’s not allowed herself to fully let her guard down yet… but I’m worried her judgement is clouded because of how badly she wants to believe him. That she might be too forgiving even if he doesn’t deserve it.”
Leaning her head back on the bench, Emira squeezed her eyes shut, pushing back the tears of exhaustion she felt beginning to well. “And I know that if things go back to the way they were, it will crush her. But if I tell her not to get her hopes up, she might get mad at me, and tell me that I ‘always see the worst in dad,’ and ignore the red flags popping back up because she wants to prove me wrong so badly. I don’t know what to do. I just don’t want her to get hurt again.” No matter how hard she tried to force the tears away, a couple still made their way down her cheeks.
“You shouldn’t have to make these choices.”
“I know.” Emira shrugged. “But it’s me or Ed. And I won’t let it be Ed.”
“Oh, Emmi,” Viney sighed, taking in everything she heard before slowly raising a hand to stroke the cheek of her defeated-looking girlfriend and gently wiping the tears off. “I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have pushed you so hard because you’re right, I don’t understand,” she relented. “And if I’m being honest, after hearing all of that, I’m not even really sure what to say…”
“It’s okay,” Emira said softly in return, leaning into the touch. “You don’t have to say anything. But… thank you for listening.”
“Anytime.” Viney wrapped an arm around Emira once more. “Just know that whenever you are ready to tackle some of this, you don’t have to do it alone, okay?”
“Yeah.” Emira sighed. “I know.”
“Are you okay? Is there something else?” Viney questioned, concerned by the sadness that laced her girlfriend’s response.
“Yeah, I’m okay,” Emira said before sitting up and staring out across the empty quad. “It’s silly really, but I guess part of the reason I was looking forward to meeting your dad so much was because I thought that maybe if he liked me, I’d get to see what having a real parent is like. I know it’s selfish but I guess part of me just wanted to know…”
“Emira…” Viney frowned, brow furrowing and heart breaking at the confession.
“But it’s not fair of me to put that weight on you because regardless of what I want, your boundaries are valid and should, no, will be respected,” Emira began to backtrack, having sensed some unease in her girlfriend’s response. “And I totally didn’t mean for that to come off as a guilt trip, that definitely wasn’t my intention but thinking about it now, I can see how it could be and, Titan! Why am I like this? I’m so sorry, Vines, I just wanted you to know and-”
“Emmi, Emmi, slow down. It’s okay,” Viney gently reassured. “I know you didn’t mean it that way. Just breathe, okay?”
“I just don’t want to mess things up more than I already have...”
“You haven’t messed anything up, love. Much like you, I’d rather hear the truth than have you feeling like you need to go on hiding your emotions,” Viney said as she met her girlfriend’s eyes. “That said, I guess we should probably talk about how to move forward now that all the cards are out on the table.”
“Can we talk about it tomorrow?” Emira groaned, standing to stretch out some of the day’s pains before faking a yawn. “I’m tired and I’m pretty sure I’ve used up the last of my feelings for the day. I really just want to go to bed.”
“Don’t try and bail on me now,” Viney scoffed, rolling her eyes as her girlfriend once again tried to duck out of one of the conversation’s harder parts. “Besides, I doubt you’d make it home on that leg anyways so you may as well sit tight and talk while I get you patched up.”
“What? Nooo. Psh! My leg is fine! Leg injuries are Amity’s thing,” Emira spewed, the reply less than convincing. “I, on the other hand, am all good.” She waved a hand towards her leg, the limb in question appearing seemingly uninjured.
“Two things, Blight.” Viney arched a brow as she gestured for Emira to sit back down. “One, I never said which leg it was, and two, unlike what I am assuming is at least a nasty bruise, an illusion can’t hide a limp.”
“Wha-”
“That's right,” Viney scolded her, “don’t think I didn’t see you try to sneakily hobble your way over earlier. You ain’t slick. I’m just good at ignoring you when I’m upset.”
Offering an undignified “humph” in response accompanied by an even more undignified fall into Viney’s lap, Emira teased her girlfriend through a fake pout. “Fine, I guess you can take a look at it if you insist.”
“Move, Em.” Viney rolled her eyes as she gently shoved her off her lap and back onto the bench. “And get rid of that illusion too while you’re at it.”
“Ugh, fine. You’re so bossy,” Emira groaned, waving away the illusion masking her injury with a flick of her wrist.
“What the hell, Emira? This looks terrible!” Viney exclaimed, staring down at the swollen, bloody, and bruised limb.
“I mean, it’s not that ba-”
“Yeah, no,” Viney interjected. “We aren’t going there again.”
“Alright, alright,” Emira relented. “You’re right. It’s not great but I’m sure it’s nothing that a healer of your caliber can’t fix right up,” she offered in a poor attempt to flirt. “There’s no way you’ll let yourself be foiled by a locker.”
“You’ll be lucky if I can stop swelling, now sit still.” Viney frowned. “Now then, where were we?” she asked as she began to work on Emira’s leg, answering her own question before her girlfriend had a chance. “Ah right, where do we go from here?”
“Well, where do you want to go?” Emira asked sincerely, much to Viney’s surprise.
“I know this means a lot to you, and I really want you to meet my dad, I just… I wish there was a way we could make sure you don’t get in trouble for it.”
Emira‘s whole face lit up at that. “Actually, I might have an idea.”
“It was really nice meeting you today, Mr. Aviana,” Emira beamed as the older gentleman helped her up.
“Please, Emira. Just Walt is fine.” Walt smiled a gentle smile, pushing in the girl’s chair as his daughter handed her girlfriend her crutches. “The pleasure was all mine. I’m glad Viney here has such a wonderful girlfriend to look after her.”
“Aw,” Emira chuckled lightly, “it’s usually the other way around but I’ll take it.”
“Usually?” Viney smirked, leaving a tip on the table as the trio made their way towards the door of the bakery that was situated just across the street from her father’s most recent construction job. “More like all of the time.”
“Come on, Vines, I’m trying to make a good impression, remember?” Emira playfully whined, her girlfriend rolling her eyes in return as Walt breathed a hearty laugh. “Besides, I did take care of your arm the other day. Don’t be ungrateful. It’s not a good look on you.”
“Fine,” Viney relented before turning to her father. “You heading back to work now, Dad?”
“Afraid so. We should repeat this sometime.” He smiled, and Emira glowed with pride. “And Bubbles, at least try to not be late for dinner again, alright? It’d be nice if you could eat with me and not just with Puddles for a change.” He sounded a bit stern, but not like he was actually mad.
“Yeah, sorry about that.” Viney rubbed the back of her neck sheepishly. “She’s just been very on edge since the Emperor’s Coven broke into our school, so I’ve been trying to spend some extra time with her. I’ll do my evening detour to the stables earlier today, promise.”
“Sleep would also do you some good.”
Viney rolled her eyes. “Yes, Dad.”
“Oh yeah, she’s awful at sleep,” Emira agreed, and her girlfriend shot her a look, but she just grinned widely. “Also, Walt. I’ve gotta know the story behind Bubbles.”
“She hasn’t told you? This one time when she was little, she was sitting in the garden with a friend, when-” Walt started, seeming positively delighted at embarrassing his daughter, who proceeded to rudely interrupt him.
“Would you look at the time! You really need to get back to work, and we can’t be late to our Witch Anatomy for Healers class,” Viney said, rapid fire, grabbing her father’s arm and dragging him away. “Such a shame. You’re gonna have to save morbidly embarrassing me in front of my girlfriend for another time.”
Walt raised a hand goodbye and Emira waved, smiling. Viney’s dad was great. She’d had a super good time. Maybe next time she could get him to bring out embarrassing baby photos and the Bubbles story - if she didn’t pull the latter out of Viney herself first, that was.
“What’s with the rush, Bubbles?” she greeted her girlfriend with feigned innocence once she returned. “We’ve still got fifteen more minutes until our lunch break is over, and we’re really not that far from Hexside.”
“You’re not calling me that.”
“I am, as you can see!” Emira winked at her. “That’s what you get for keeping your criminally adorable nicknames to yourself. That your dad left doesn’t mean I’m not gonna get the story one way or another, by the way. I can be very persuasive.”
“You wish,” Viney grumbled.
“Aw, lighten up Vines. You know I’m just teasin’ you. Besides, how can you possibly be angry at me when I clearly killed it with your dad. If anything, you should be rewarding me with that story,” Emira smirked.
“That is true,” Viney relented. “The part about my dad, that is, not you being rewarded. If anything, I might just dump you if you keep bringing it up,” she teased.
“Hm,” Emira feigned a moment of thought, “I don’t know, it could be worth it…”
“That’s it. I’m out,” Viney grunted, albeit amused as she quickened her pace.
“Wait!” Emira laughed, attempting to accelerate hers to follow to no avail. Stupid crutches. “I’m sorry! Please, come back Bubbles. I promise I won’t ask again.”
“Emira.”
“No, for real, I won’t bring it up again,” Emira smiled, catching up with her girlfriend who had stopped to wait for her. “Besides, I’m sure your dad will tell me sooner or later.”
“As much as I hate to admit it, you’re probably right.” Viney shook her head and smiled, the pair resuming their trek back to Hexside side by side. “I’m glad you were able to meet him today.”
“Me too,” Emira smiled, a hint of sadness in her voice. “Though I’m sorry it was under less than ideal circumstances…”
“What do you mean?” Viney asked, genuinely confused. “The food was great, the conversation was great… Hell, he clearly loved you if he was already going to bust out the Bubbles story.” She shuddered.
“True, true.” Emira chuckled. “I don’t know. Like, I know it was my idea to meet up with him during lunch break since dinner was out of the question given my parents, but… I don’t know…”
“Hm.”
“It’s stupid, but about ten minutes into the meal, I started to feel a little, I don’t know? Worried that it wasn’t enough - meeting him like this, that is. I mean, I pulled him away from his job for this, not to mention at some points I could barely hear over the construction noise outside… And don’t get me wrong, it’s not that I’m not grateful to have had this opportunity. That isn’t it at all. I guess I just wish that it didn’t have to be under such guarded circumstances.”
“Me too. I wish things weren’t like this for you.” Viney placed a hand on her shoulder. “But I promise you it’s more than enough. Dad was delighted that he got to meet you at all. And things aren’t always gonna be like this. You won’t live with your parents forever, and you most definitely won’t be under their control forever. Until then… we’ll find workarounds. We always do.”
“I suppose so.” Emira managed to smile again, however slightly.
Taking a second to process the day's events, Emira looked to her girlfriend who smiled earnestly in return. A comfortable silence falling between the pair as they approached the outskirts of Hexside’s campus, Emira felt the tension drain from her shoulders. Perhaps Viney was right. Regardless of whether a lunch time meeting was ideal, the fact remained that it had been a worthwhile experience. Unlike her own parents, Viney’s dad had been kind. Though not typically trusting of adults, Walt seemed genuine in his kindness. And while today’s meeting was only a starting point in any future she might have with Viney’s family, it was one that left Emira with an inkling of hope.
“We do make quite the team, don’t we, Bubbles?”
“One more time and I’ll leave. I’ll not come back this time,” Viney said with a scowl. “You’re starting to cross the line from ‘endearing’ to ‘really just annoying.’”
“Wow, that took wayyy longer than I thought it would. Besides, nice try, but you’re already getting antsy because it’s five minutes before class. You’d never miss school just to spite me.” Emira leaned down conspiratorially. “Tragically, my girlfriend is a proper little nerd.”
“Don’t try me, Blight. You’re not ready to find out what happens if you do.”
Viney grinned up at her girlfriend, but before she could say anything else, Emira leaned forward and kissed her.
“Eh, I think I was decently ready to find this out. I’m not impressed.”
Emira worried her lip, twisting. “And… thank you. For everything.”
“Of course, Em, but there’s no need for thanks,” Viney smiled softly. “Like I said, you don’t have to do this alone. Me and dad, we’ve got you and are here to help whenever you’re ready.”
Offering a simple nod in return, Emira leaned into Viney’s embrace before the loud scream of the Hexside bell broke the pair apart. Briefly laughing at the absurdity before making their way to class, Emira found herself in her thoughts once more as Viney continued on in silence. Viney was right, Emira recokend, she wasn’t alone. And while today may not be the day, one day she would be ready. One day she’d take them up on that offer in the hopes that things would get better.
Until then, she could rest a little easier with the assurance that she had people in her corner.
For now, that was enough.