Archive of Our Own ^beta

It was no secret to anyone in Eda’s life that her curse was permanent. 

Long grueling decades had been endured before this fact was accepted not just by Eda herself, but the important people in her life. 

In many ways this acceptance was a good thing, and it made Raine glad to see the way this growth had changed Eda. She was more grounded and honest, and the walls of pride built around her heart were so much shorter. 

Knowing how much Eda had grown, and how important this acceptance of her curse was to making the emotionally available witch they had the honor of laying next to every night, did absolutely nothing to assuage the pit that formed in Raine’s chest the first time they heard her curse referred to as a chronic illness .  

Healer visits were a new regular occurrence at the owl house. 

Mostly for the kids. 

Now that Belos was gone, and the isles restored from pandemonium, Eda’s first acts as a newly legal citizen with a fairly generous pension (courtesy of the former emperor's coffers, distributed to all wild witches unfairly persecuted during his reign) had all been in the interests of her kids, starting with their mental and physical health. 

King was the most resistant to the idea. Growing up, all his ailments had been solved with Eda’s own homebrewed tonics or stolen over-the-counter remedies. He’d never stepped into a medical ward before in his entire life. 

Having only seen the graphic and wildly inaccurate depictions of trauma rooms and surgeries on the crystal ball, he had bolted to hide in his room the moment Eda announced she wanted to get both of her owlets looked over properly by a professional. 

Not for the first time, it hurt Raine to see the guilt that sat heavy on Eda’s shoulders at the reminder of her greatest source of doubt as a mother to King in particular. All the things she had been physically unable to provide for him for the entirety of his childhood. From the fact that nothing the eight year old had was new, all of it scavenged or secondhand in some fashion, to the scares she’d had when he was just a baby and accident prone and she hadn’t the means as a poor, hated wild witch to do anything other than try to soothe his pain with her own bare hands and pray. 

“You did everything you could for him,” They assured quietly that night after the kids had gone to bed. “You love him so much. Luz too. The lengths you go to when they need you, because you love them…it’s everything. It’s enough, and he loves you too.” 

“It doesn’t feel like enough,” She’d answered bitterly, with a familiar twist of self-hatred written across her features, and they’d had to pull her close then. 

In the end, the only way to convince King to sit through an examination, had been to let him watch his caretaker go through one first. 

Raine had been in the room, mostly because Eda had insisted on having an extra pair of hands, (now that she was down one of her own) in case the squirmy little guy changed his mind and decided to make a run for it. 

Even so, the unspoken trust there warmed their heart. 

The healer walks in, a stern and stout no nonsense witch with a clipped voice. 

Eda, to her credit, is remarkably relaxed, at least on the outside. She absolutely hates hospitals and healers, and even the mere pale flicker of healing spells, but she’s fast with a quip when the healer runs through the initial surface scans. 

“I’m real proud of myself doc, I just lost about nine pounds recently.” 

Waving her stump with a shit-eating grin that made Raine want to laugh and cringe at the same time. 

The healer was entirely unmoved by Eda’s humor. 

Raine, who happened to think their fiance was an incredibly hilarious woman, couldn’t decide for the life of them if she was incredibly professional or just lacking in a sense of humor. 

(Even if Eda’s continuous jokes about the limb they had personally ripped off of her smoldering body did still make them flinch, occasionally) 

“You suffer from a chronic condition, yes? It’s on your records from your last examination…listed about twenty-six years previous.” 

Raine had been confused until Eda nodded casually. 

“Yeah. It should be down there as a transformation type curse.” 

“Correct.” 

“That should actually be altered in the records as a locked possession type curse. New info came to light. You know how it is.” 

“I see. Your documentation is fairly vague. I’m going to need a thorough full body diagnostic to make up for all of these holes in your medical file.” 

“Goody,” She’d deadpanned, sticking her tongue out when the healer turned her back, successfully making King giggle. 

Raine was confronted, that day, by a notion they struggled to wrap their head around. 

It was easy to say that Eda was cursed. A Curse could be a lot of things, and it had certainly never slowed her down if she could help it. 

Even now, well into her forties, with creaky joints and a missing arm, Eda remained in their eyes just as wild, just as stunning and stubborn and unstoppable as when they were children raising hell in back alleys and Hexside hallways.

Never once, had Raine thought of her as sick. 

------------------

“Ugh, that was tedious as hell,” Eda groaned, setting a sleeping King down on the couch with a slight thump. 

Poor little guy had been due for a lot of shots, and the excess fluid in his system had conked him right out on the way home. 

Raine hummed and tugged an old blanket off their armchair, the one they’d brought along upon moving into the owl house among other odds and ends, and draped it over the baby titan’s dozing form, grinning when he snuffled a bit and curled up into a little fuzzy ball. 

“We still need a grocery run at some point. I can stop by the harmacy tomorrow, the one connected to Cursed-Co.” 

Eda frowned. 

“What do we need from the Harmacy? Are the first aid kits low again?” 

Raine stilled. 

“...for the prescriptions the healer wrote you?” They said slowly. “The painkillers for your joints and-”

Eda’s confusion cleared and she laughed. 

“Oh, no. I don’t actually need those, Rainestorm.” 

“What?” 

Eda perched on the arm of the couch and reached down to stroke King’s fur gently. 

“Healers will throw anything at you to make ya spend more snails after a check-up. They’re in cahoots with the harmicists. It’s all just a big scam.” 

Raine furrowed their brow. 

“I don’t think you were being scammed, Eda. These are real medications. And they match with issues you do, have, don’t they?” 

She rolled her eyes. 

“Technically yes, but I can manage just fine without them, Raine. I have my elixirs, and the rest I can tough out with the occasional painkiller-The normal painkillers, I mean.” 

“You shouldn’t have to ‘tough it out’ Eda.” 

There it was. 

The core of a longstanding argument between them. 

Eda had come a long way. 

Raine wouldn’t deny that, and they adored her for it. For all the ways she’d grown from the scared girl on a hill who couldn’t let anyone get close to her. 

But nothing was perfect. 

There were times like these that reminded Raine of that fact. 

Eda still needed help sometimes.

Which was fine. 

“Look-” 

They placed a hand on her shoulder and pressed a kiss to her temple. 

“-Maybe it is a scam. I know you’ve suffered enough from your mom’s terrible fake cures to have an eye out for them. But I really think this is different, and if there’s a good chance these prescriptions could improve your quality of life, even a little, would it really hurt to at least give them a shot?” 

Eda hesitated. 

Raine could guess where her apprehension was coming from. 

“Why don’t you do some research on what the healer prescribed you and go from there? It might help to know what to expect if you did add more potions to your routine apart from your elixir.” 

Eda sighed. 

“I…alright.” 

They perked up. 

“Really?” 

She stood and gave them a quick kiss. 

“Yeah, yeah. You’re lucky you’re cute when you get all worried about me,” She grumbled. 

They snagged her by the waist to drag her closer. 

“Cute enough for a few more kisses before you go?” They asked coyly. 

She chuckled and looped her arms lazily around their neck. 

“I don’t know, are you?” 

They huffed and stood on their toes to claim her lips. 

Eda hummed in a pleased manner and reciprocated. 

“Gross,” King huffed sleepily, face still hidden under the blanket. 

---------------------------

“Has it always been this hard on you?” 

“Hmm?” 

“Your curse.” 

Eda yawned and tucked her head into the crook of their neck. 

It was late. 

Raine didn’t doubt they were the only ones awake in the house. 

“How d’you mean?” 

 They shrugged with their free shoulder.

“That new file the healer made for you seemed…big.” 

Eda opened a single eye. The silver iris glowed in the pitch black of the bedroom. 

“‘R you still fussing over that?” 

“I’m sorry,” they said automatically, carding a hand through her thick hair. “I just…I don’t know. I can’t help it.” 

Tongue-twisting medical jargon and obscure terminology from Eda’s appointment still rattled around in their brain from time to time. Tangling and untangling into concepts they could piece together. 

Joint pains and migraines. Common symptoms of chronic illness. 

Chest pain, sharp and fast, she had yet to experience, but likely to occur. They couldn’t help but watch for in every little noise or sudden movement from their fiance out of the corner of their eye. 

Was there something wrong with Eda’s heart? 

There was something wrong with her bile sack, and her bile is attached to her heart. 

What else had the healer said? There was so much. 

It was overwhelming. 

Nerve wracking. 

And they weren’t even the witch who actually had to deal with it all.  

Eda had acted unsurprised and largely unconcerned, sitting on that crinkly examination table.

“You learn to get used to it,” Eda muttered against their collar bone. “ ‘was pretty fuckin scared at first…when I was a kid. Shit hurts and doesn’t stop. Something about transformation…straining the body or something.” 

Something in their stomach twisted sharply. 

“Really?” 

“Mmm. Pain used to go away after a while. Eventually it just…didn’t. Then it’s like…stuff piles on.” 

“I’m sorry.” 

“Don’t. ‘S just life. ‘S normal for me.” 

“Was it…?”

“Terrifying? Kinda, yeah.”

She shifted a little under the covers. 

“might have been…one of those things I didn't really wanna talk about at the time,” she admitted quietly.

They wove strands of silver hair between their fingers and breathed in deeply. 

“I’m-”

“Don't.” Eda grunted sleepily in warning, and their tongue stilled for several moments. 

“I’m probably stupid for worrying so much,” They muttered. 

“Nah, you’re okay. It’s kinda sweet.” 

Soft lips pressed against their neck and they relaxed a fraction. 

Eda closed her eyes again and sighed, draping a leg over their thigh. 

“...Th’new meds don’t hurt though.” 

In spite of the concern and anxiety they’ve been carrying for some time in their chest, Raine grinned just a little in the darkness. 

“Yeah?” 

“...Go to sleep, Raine.”

They huffed a laugh under their breath and kissed the top of her head.

“Okay.” 

-------------------------

Cleaning potions tended to be hard on the skin. 

Unfortunately, the rubber gloves were missing again. 

“Raine.” 

They were probably down in Eda’s lab. 

How long was it going to take to get these damn stains out? 

“Raine.” 

This whole house was so dirty. 

Everything was a mess. 

A hazard. 

Nothing was safe-

“Rainestorm.” 

Raine froze. 

“Yes, dear?” 

Eda crossed her arm over her waist and leaned against the kitchen doorway. 

“Babe, I love you, but what the hell are you doing to the kitchen?” 

They slowly lowered the rag and spray bottle. 

“Cleaning?” 

Eda frowned. 

“With that much bleach? Hon, you know you’re gonna completely strip the polish off the table, right?” 

“I don't know,” they said. “It survived Luz’s abomination homework experiments, and I'm pretty sure that was much worse for the table than this.” 

she raised a brow. 

“You didn't answer my question.” 

They shrugged, feigning nonchalance.

She stared at them for several moments. 

Raine couldn't help but fidget slightly under her scrutiny. 

After a bit she snorted. 

“You know, if you really wanted to be my bard in shining tights that badly you could just offer to cook dinner.” 

Raine choked on air and sputtered. 

“I-what?” 

“You've been acting weird ever since Luz came home with that packet about griffin flu season being around the corner. I thought you'd wear yourself out after the mess you made of the living room-”

“That-cleaning is the opposite of making a mess-” 

“But I draw the line at ruining all my wood furniture with a liquid ton of cleaner,” Eda cut them off sternly. 

Suddenly feeling rather like a scolded child, Raine picked at a loose string on the rag they'd been cleaning with, examining their red, irritated knuckles from scrubbing with their bare hands. 

“You don't need to be so worried,” she continued gently. “The kids have all had the jab-”

“But you haven't,” they pointed out with a tinge of distress. 

Many vaccinations were apparently incompatible with the medications and elixirs Eda took to manage her curse symptoms. Paired with her already weakened immune system from her chronic pain and atrophied bile sac, how could Raine not worry? 

Especially with such a messy house dominated by two, equally messy kids. 

Luz went to school every day, which was a massive germ factory in itself, and King, well, he was eight, going on nine, and, well, no child in the single digits was free of the curse of sticky claws and playtime stains. 

Every cough, sneeze, every food splatter and instance of potential contamination had them wincing in apprehension. 

Even just watching Eda nibble on cuts of raw meat while she was cooking, knowing her partially avian biology made it perfectly safe, necessary even, made them nervous, imagining all the bacteria she could potentially be exposed to. 

It had gotten to the point that Raine had taken to changing their clothes and showering the moment they got home, and disinfecting their hands before and after work at the new high council headquarters. 

“Rainestorm,” Eda said in that same patient voice. “You know I'm gonna be fine, right? I've handled this on my own for years, and I hate to break it to you, but I never get sick. I'm made of stronger stuff than that, Rainey.”

There was an easy confidence to her stance. 

Not for the first time, Raine found themselves torn between worry that perhaps they were letting their fear take things too far, and a crippling, looming anxiety that somehow, they still weren't doing enough. 

“I-I know you are,” they stammered. “I just-I…” 

“Hey.”

A pale hand reached out and tugged the wash rag from their loose grip. Eda rubbed a thumb over their inflamed knuckles.

She pulled them close and Raine couldn't help but fall into her touch with a shaky breath a little too close to tears. 

It was just- 

The only thing was- 

There was a snake. 

It curled around their heart. 

The snake had been there since they were a child. 

Its coils tightened when they had to lift their viola for a crowd. 

When they made long public speeches. 

When Eda coughed harsh and wet on a cold, dry day. 

When the boiling rains kept her in bed, in so much pain she was feverish from it. 

When they were left alone with their thoughts and could hear that healer’s voice as sharp in their head as the day of the appointment all those weeks ago. The sharp consonants of ‘Chronic Condition’ like a sharp stab to the gut. 

Only the knife has always existed and Eda is entirely stoic with her blood on it’s blade and with every day that ticks by they feel so stupid for trying and failing to understand how to do the same when they don’t even have half the burden she carries to struggle with. 

It’s not their pain. 

Why 

Why 

Why 

Why can’t they be just as happy in the moment as she is? 

Why are they so scared? 

What the hell is wrong with them? 

“I’m sorry,” They finally croaked after a long moment of silence. 

“I accept your apology, but only if it’s for butchering my table.” 

They huffed a quiet laugh. 

“You must think I’m so overbearing.” 

“Please, babe, you’ve got nothing on my mother.” 

Raine shuddered at the comparison. 

“Ergh.” 

To this day, Gwendolyn unnerved the hell out of them.

“In all seriousness-” 

Eda pulled away slightly to look them in the eye. 

“It’s okay. I get where you're coming from.” 

“I don’t understand what’s wrong with me ,” They whined, hugging her tighter. 

“You need time. I did too.” 

“But this isn’t about me.” 

“Isn’t it?” 

They blinked. 

“What?” 

“You’re gonna marry me.” 

Raine flushed and looked away. 

“Eda!”

There was a matching tinge of pink dusting Eda’s cheeks but she pushed on anyways. 

“You love me. You’re going to marry me, because you want to stick to me like a leach, in sickness and health and all that junk. And Rainestorm-” 

She touched their cheek to get them to turn back towards her again. 

“I’d be worried if all that sickness didn’t scare you. But you’re still here.” 

“Of course I am,” They said instantly and she smiled. 

“That’s all that matters. You’re here. You worry because you love me. I’d feel the same if it were you. I do feel the same, when your scars ache, or, well…” 

She traced the faint bags under their eyes gently, stroking the testaments to long sleepless nights after bad dreams or vivid flashbacks. 

“Nightmares get better, the aches can be managed, fever burns itself out. Life is a stubborn bitch but babe, it ain’t got nothin on me.” 

She gave them a soft kiss that contradicted her cocky tone. 

“You’re stuck with me, Rainestorm. Deal with it.” 

Raine laughed, louder and harder than they had in a while. 

The snake eased up around their heart, just a little. For now, at least. 

“I’m honored.” 

-------------------------

It starts when Eda insists on going to see the home game with Luz and her friends. 

To no one’s surprise, both of Eda’s children have a great love for the violent sport that is grudgby, even if Luz didn’t play, and King was far too little to be trying his hand at it just yet. 

It wasn’t uncommon for the community to pack into the stands for home games, and Raine would be lying if they said they didn’t think the sport was pretty fun, too. Back in their hexside days, it had been fun to giggle over all the athletes with the other cheerleaders, playfully enduring the other kids’ teasing over their crush on the banshees’ star player, and screaming their head off while Eda pulled off cocky stunts on the field like the show-off she was.

…and bandaging her up when said stunts occasionally failed. 

Now, they were finding it was even more fun to watch the game with Eda herself tucked into their side. The stands were packed and naturally, that meant Eda had to squeeze in close, thigh to thigh with King in her lap and their arm around her shoulder. 

Luz was a few rows down, hanging out with her classmates. Raine thought she looked adorable with her blue face paint, bundled up safely in Eda’s old letterman jacket. 

It was nice to see her happily goofing off with her friends, after everything. 

They were pulled out of their thoughts when another kid crashed into the ground, one of hexside’s, and Eda cupped her hand around her mouth to scream along with the rest of the stands in outrage. 

“FOUL! Boo! Hell’s sake, that’s the third time. The ref needs to get their shit together,” She hissed. 

In the seat directly next to hers, an elderly witch was apparently just as outraged, to the point that they were coughing and hacking up spittle from the force of their cries as they gestured wildly. (and rudely. Raine had half a mind to cover King’s eyes for a moment.) 

Eda winced and leaned further into Raine’s side to try and avoid the splash zone. 

“Weh! Mom, you’re squishing me!” 

“Sorry, buddy-GET HIM! GO FOR THE SHINS! GO, GO GO!” 

Eda very nearly stood up and Raine took mercy on King by scooping him up to sit on their shoulders. 

“Thanks Noni!” 

“Of course! Can you see alright?” 

“Better than with my face stuck in mom’s sweater.” 

“Fair enough.” 

“Mom!” 

Luz had shuffled up the stands and was holding out a half empty popcorn bucket. 

“Do you want the rest of this? Me and Gus and Willow are all full.” 

“Sure, kid.” 

Eda accepted the bucket and popped a few pieces into her mouth before holding it out in offering. 

“Want some, Rainey?” 

They shook their head. 

“No thanks, I lost my trust in stadium food after an unfortunate incident at one of Amber’s marching band competitions a few years ago.” 

She shrugged. 

“Suit yourself-OH COME ON THAT WAS TOTALLY ANOTHER FOUL!”  

------------

The house was dark when they finally got home. Even hooty was quiet when they pushed the door open, a sleeping King tucked against their chest. 

Luz was also out cold, a gangly mess of teenage dead weight in Eda’s arm. 

The two adults shuffled inside, grateful for the flood of warmth when the door was closed against the fall chill. 

“Here-” 

Raine adjusted their hold on King so that they could take Luz in their free arm, huffing a bit. 

“I’ll take them upstairs,” they whispered. “Heat up some apple blood for us?” 

“Mm, sure.” 

She gave them a soft peck on the corner of their mouth and headed to the kitchen, pushing up the sleeves of her thick red sweater as she went. 

Putting the kids to bed is always a little harder than it looks. They’re both clingy little heat seeking missiles when asleep, and at one point they’re certain Luz’s arms around their neck is going to be the death of them as they attempt to pry her off and not jostle King at the same time. 

Tucking them in is another matter entirely, and Raine doesn’t want them to get cold, but they don’t want to wake them by pulling down the thick purple comforter from under them. Luckily, Luz has no shortage of blankets in her room, a true nester and warmth hogger just like her mom, and they pile the nearest ones on top of the kids as best as they can. 

Luz’s eyes just barely flutter as they’re pulling a fleece azura blanket up to her chin. 

“R’n?” 

“Shh, go to sleep kiddo. It’s late.” 

“Kay…l’v you…” 

Warmth seeps from their heart and they grin wide at the sleeping teen, carding their fingers through her hair before planting a kiss to King’s skull and backing out of the room. 

“I love you too.” 

Parenting, they thought, was one of the greatest gifts Eda had brought into their life. 

------------

Eda has a pan of apple blood heating on the stove when they get downstairs, and a jar of cinnamon spice waiting on the counter. 

Their favorite mug, a chipped blue birthday gift that reads ‘Alto clef does it better’, looks so cozy next to Eda’s treasured ‘30 and flirty’ mug that it makes their heart flutter, even after all these months. 

“Should be ready in another minute,” Eda said quietly. 

She was leaning against the counter, bare feet curled at the toes to ward off the chill from the cold tile. Her hair had been tied up all day and spilled over her shoulders now in thick waves as a result. 

Eda looks tired and soft and loose in all the most beautiful ways in the dim kitchen light and they sigh happily then they cross the floor and gather her into her arms for a gentle, languid kiss. 

It’s a rarity to have the house virtually all to themselves, but they’re so tired from the long day that it’s more appealing to simply take their steaming mugs upstairs and huddle together in the nest, reruns from an old show they’ve both watched a hundred times before playing quietly on one of their scrolls.

“Thanks for coming out with us today,” Eda said quietly, leaning her head on their shoulder. “I know crowds aren’t your thing.” 

“It was pretty loud, but I had fun. We all did.” 

“Mmm.” 

Eda took another sip of her apple blood and frowned. 

“Ergh, my throat feels weird.” 

They smirked. 

“Someone overdid it with all that yelling, hm?” 

“Shoosh, you. I have no idea what you’re talking about.” 

“Mhm. sure, Calamity.” 

“Do you wanna watch a few more episodes?” 

She gestured to the scroll. 

“Maybe just one more. I’m ready to pass out,” They admitted. 

“Same. We’re getting old, Rainestorm.”

“Life past childhood is a scam,” They grumbled half-jokingly. “I’d like a refund on these creaky knees, thanks.”

“How about my creaky everything?” Eda griped.

“Joints bothering you again?” 

“They always are, but yeah, kinda.”  

“I’m sorry, Calamity. Do you want me to grab the heat packs?” 

“No, let’s just lay down already. I think I just need to get some sleep.” 

“If you’re sure. I love you.” 

“Love you too, Rainestorm.” 

-------------------

Eda is still in bed when they leave for work the next morning. 

Raine doesn’t think much of it. They have an early day, and Eda will never be a morning person. They kiss her on the cheek before they leave and pull the blankets around her a bit more securely, content to let their fiance get all the rest she can before King inevitably comes crashing in, eager for his mom’s attention. 

They’ll never understand how she does it, working from home and wrangling the high energy baby titan at the same time. They respect so many things about Eda, but her ability to homeschool king while brewing high complexity potions and putting up with hooty is certainly at the top. 

It’s a good day at work. 

The chaos from the emperor’s death and the Collector’s brief era of discord is finally starting to die down. The public is just barely beginning to settle, but it’s enough that Raine and the rest of the council can finally breathe and focus more on bureaucracy than relief efforts. 

Tedious, but far less physically draining. 

Darius and the construction head are arguing about something highly technical regarding latissa’s infrastructure that is making Raine’s head hurt when they feel their scroll going off in their pocket, and they’re grateful for a reason to excuse themself and leave the room. 

Someone is trying to call them, and they smile when they see it’s Eda’s number. 

“Hey, what’s up?” 

“Noni?” 

Raine paused. 

That was King’s voice on the other end of the line, and he sounded…scared. 

“King? Is something wrong, buddy?” 

“Y-yeah.” 

He sniffled and their anxiety heightened. 

“Where’s your mom, bud?” 

“She’s still in bed. I think she’s really sick. I, I don’t know what to do!” 

Raine felt their heart drop into the pit of their stomach. 

“What?” 

“I tried to wake her up, and she did but her head was hurting so bad she cried a-and her face is too hot and I can’t- I don’t know what to-”

“Hey, take a deep breath,” They soothed, trying not to let King hear their worry. “It sounds like she has a migraine. Let her rest and try to be extra quiet, and I’ll be home as fast as I can, okay?” 

“You promise?” 

“Yeah, buddy, I promise.” 

------------------

When Raine gets home, King is curled up in their armchair, looking sad and subdued, and the first thing they do is pull him into a hug. 

“Thanks for looking after your mom, bud.” 

“Is she gonna be okay?” he asked nervously. “I know she gets sick sometimes but it…” He nuzzled his face into the soft fabric of their blouse. “It hasn’t been this bad in a while.” 

“Did this used to happen a lot?” They asked, ears pressing down against their skull. 

“Not since Luz got here. She’s better at taking care of herself now.” 

“I’m sure she’s gonna be just fine. Migraines are rough, but they pass eventually. Why don’t you watch the crystal ball while I go check on Eda?” 

“Okay.”

The bedroom is dark when they enter, curtains drawn firmly over the windows. They can make out a massive lump of hoarded blankets in the nest where Eda was trying to hide from the pain. 

They keep their voice as physically possible when they place a hand on her shoulder. 

“Eda? Are you awake, sweetheart?” 

She whined curled in on herself, face screwed tight. 

“Oh, honey,” They cooed sympathetically. “I brought you some of your meds. Do you think you can sit up for me?” 

She whined at the prospect but was pliant when they wrapped their arms around her and slowly propped her up against the pillows. 

They readjusted the blankets to keep her warm, although the bright red tint to her face and glassy, fever-bright eyes told them it might not be entirely necessary. 

They have medicine for her migraine, and her elixir as well. the pills, Eda is all to happy to chase down with some water, but her grimace when they pull the cork off the bright yellow potion is not missed. Still, she swallows it all before sagging back down, eyes squeezed shut.

Raine placed the back of their hand over her forehead and hissed. 

They'd expected her to be warm, but titan, Eda was burning up. 

Alarmingly so, considering how energetic she'd been just the previous night. 

This wasn't just a migraine. 

On cue, Eda broke into a harsh, wet coughing fit. Her entire upper body shook with the force of it, tears leaking out the corners of her eyes as she tried to regain her breath between sharp hacks. 

Instinctively, Raine pulled her closer and rubbed a hand over her back. 

“Easy, sweetheart, breathe, shh.” 

They pressed the water bottle to her lips again and she did her best to take small sips, trying not to choke while they murmured encouragements and kept rubbing the space between her shoulder blades. 

Eda was panting when the glass was finished and she sagged fully against Raine, face covered in a sheen of sweat. 

“R’n?” She slurred weakly. 

They pressed a kiss to her brow. 

“What, honey?” 

“Don’ feel good.” 

“I know. I think you’re very sick.” 

She whined again and her eyes fluttered closed, exhausted. 

“Get some rest. The painkillers should kick in soon.” 

“Mmn.” 

They helped her lay back down and pulled the blanket over her before heading back downstairs, running a list in their head. 

Fever reducers, tea, the fruit kind, Eda hates the medicinal stuff, but a hot drink will be good for her sinuses-

“Is mom okay?” 

They blinked and realized with slight surprise that they were standing at the bottom of the stairs, and King was perched on the back of the armchair, staring at them with worry. 

“She’s pretty sick,” They admitted carefully, picking him up. “But it’s gonna be okay. She just needs rest and medicine.” 

“I hate it when she gets sick,” he mumbled. 

“I know, buddy, it’s not fun. Tell you what, I was thinking, since Luz is still at her other mom’s for the week, why don’t I heat up some griffin nuggets from the freezer and we can cuddle down here for a little while with a movie while your mom rests.” 

King looked up at them, visibly confused. 

“You’re not gonna go back to work?” 

They frowned. 

“Of course not! Eda is going to need help to get better, and I can’t leave you alone either.” 

“I’m not alone? Mom is upstairs and Hooty is here too.” 

Raine…wasn’t sure what to say to that. 

It was hard sometimes, that King wasn’t used to anyone except for Eda caring about him. 

Eda herself spoke very little about her dating history outside of their own mutual past. There were little things, like King’s caution when Eda had first started bringing Raine around the house after things with the collector had been settled, until Eda, with an unusual air of seriousness, had taken him aside and talked to him in a low voice. 

Afterwards, while hesitant, King had been more willing to approach them. In his own words, Eda had never allowed him to get too close to any of her exes. She’d never brought any of them over to the house willingly, and was more likely to disappear for a night or two before coming back, usually tired and bruised or just completely closed off. 

If anyone other than Eda did come to the house, it was generally not for good reasons, or King was otherwise ignored or treated much like Hooty, as an annoying extension of the house. 

“That’s…not really the same, King. I’d rather be here with you.” 

He shrugged. 

“Okay…” 

Then, quieter- 

“Thanks.” 

They smiled sadly and scratched his scruff. 

“You don’t need to thank me for that, bud. That’s what I’m here for.”

--------------------

“How are you holding up?” 

“Bleeegh.” 

“Understandable.”

Eda stirred her spoon around in her soup listlessly, face tinged pink with fever, pouting. 

She had been sick for three days now, and while they were certain she was on the mend, her fever was still a touch too high and she had heat pads wrapped around her knees and shoulder blades. 

“Luz called while you were sleeping, by the way,” Raine said with a pointed nudge for her to try a few more sips of soup. “She says she hopes you get better soon, and that unfortunately, her mom won’t let her ‘collect possum evidence’, whatever that means.” 

They paused, brow furrowing. 

“What’s a possum?” 

Eda grunted noncommittally. 

“Just some made up creature from an old book me and Lils were into when we were kids. Luz thinks they’re real for some reason.” 

“Ah.” 

She set her bowl down and sighed. 

“I think my headache’s coming back,” she said. 

“Do you need more painkillers?” 

“No, I just had some a few hours ago.” 

“I’m sorry Calamity.” 

She shrugged. 

“Meh. I’m used to it.” 

Eda stretch out one of her legs with a grimace. 

“Still not as bad as that boiling storm when King was two.” 

“Oh?” 

“Mhm. went down with a fever on the couch. I couldn’t see straight and ended up giving myself a concussion trying to make the little guy dinner.” 

She leaned over and nuzzled into the crook of their neck. 

“Thank you, by the way. For looking after King. It’s a little too normal for him to be left to his own devices when this happens.” 

“Don’t worry about it. He was really good the whole time. I think it mostly just makes him sad when you’re not feeling well.” 

“I’m really glad you two get along,” she admitted. “He’s my little guy, you know? It’s just been the two of us for so long, and Luz changed some things, yeah, but it’s still never been like…how we all are now.” 

They smiled and nodded. 

“And…I’m really happy to have you here too, if the whole, sharing my home with you thing didn’t make it obvious.”

Raine chuckled lowly. 

“Yeah?” 

She smiled softly and pressed her lips against their neck chastely. 

“Yeah. It’s nice not to have to fetch my own potions while my body is trying to shut down,” 

“I knew there was a real reason you were keeping me around.” 

“Naaah, the real reason is cuz you’re cute and I needed some eye candy to leer at while I work.” 

They gasped in mock offense and placed a hand over their heart, playing up a scandalized front. 

Eda giggled. 

Even in ratty pajamas, flushed with fever, and hoarse from coughing, Raine still felt their heart flutter at the sight of her happy and mostly content, snuggled into their side. 

At first, they had been terrified to hear Eda was sick. They’d done their best to act calm for King, not wanting to scare him by coming across as panicked, but a bedridden Eda vulnerable from severe illness was a scene practically out of their nightmares. 

Now, however, they felt a lot calmer. Eda wasn’t out of the woods yet, but she was getting better by the hour, and the last few days of taking care of her had made them realize that the reality of her condition wasn’t pleasant by any means, but it wasn’t an insurmountable barrier, or terrifying death sentence by any means. 

Was this was Eda had meant, when she said the key to adjustment was to push through the worst of it? 

Either way, they felt…settled. 

…and a little silly, for being as afraid as they had been. 

They would continue to worry about Eda, of course they would. But then again they worried about King when the house was too quiet for longer than a few seconds, and they worried about Luz when she went off on adventures with her friends. 

Worrying was just part of being in a family. Of loving someone so much they lived in your heart permanently. 

It was stressful. 

It was messy. 

It was everything. 

…They wouldn’t have it any other way.