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Daniela was pretty used to having sprained ankles by now, that's why she didn't mind having one this morning.
They were practicing a new move, though it wasn't difficult for her as the mais dançar, but still she landed wrong enough to sprain it.
She groaned but played it down; she could stay good until going home to put ice on it. The problem was that they had rehearsal until 7 PM, and it was still—she checked her phone—9:30 AM. Damn. For now she only popped a couple of painkillers and went back to normal dancing.
For a while it worked; it would be fine for a quick performance.
But not to dance the whole day.
She tried to play it off so no one would discover, spending more time sitting on the couch during breaks, and asking for delivery instead of walking out with the girls for lunch.
During the rest of the day her ankle was hurting way more; it was visibly swollen. She was glad her pants covered it; she didn't want to worry them with something simple she was used to. A bit of ice should do the work, and tomorrow she'd be fresh as new!
At the end, Daniela was visibly walking worse, she had taken even more painkillers during one of their breaks, so now she felt her head fuzzy and tired.
She was avoiding mostly Sophia; besides being her girlfriend, she was the best leader and the best at reading what they felt, so she was trying to engage in some futile conversation with Lara about boots they wanted.
Sophia could see something was wrong with the curly girl; she looked really tired, so she carefully approached, taking her bag. Daniela immediately pulled back.
"It's okay."
"You seem tired, mí amor; let me take it." She tried again, pulling the bag onto her free shoulder, then pressing a quick kiss on the cheek, almost the corner of her mouth.
Dani didn't react, though, but she was looking so tired that she didn't push further.
Daniela tried her best to shush Sophia away and not give in to her whim to curl up to her to get comfort and ask to be carried.
As they entered the door of their house, she made her way to the couch. She had no condition for climbing up the stairs; she would sit a bit, letting it rest before moving. But of course the girls noticed how she wasn't jumping around and yelling for dinner, and apparently Manon was trying to talk to her.
"Are you even listening to me, Dani?"
The latina jolted, suddenly aware of the conversation, and just nodded.
"Yeah, keep going," she muttered, but didn't understand anything she said. Besides feeling the sharp pain climbing her leg, her head felt extremely fuzzy.
"Are you okay?" Manon asked, worried, and Dani only nodded to her best friend.
"Yeah, only tired."
Sophia noticed and went closer to her, offering a water cup to her, seeing her tense already.
"Are you okay, Mahal? It looked like you're limping earlier," Sophia said in her calm voice, but Daniela didn't look up. She couldn't; if she met Sophia's eyes, she'd collapse right now.
"I'm okay, Soph, only sleepy."
But before Sophia could say something else, Megan, who hadn't been really listening, propped herself next to Dani, she would ask for something silly they had been arguing about dinner; she wanted her opinion, but the way she accidentally bumped into her made the pain attack harder, climbing up the leg.
She couldn't hold a small cry and flinched, pulling her leg closer, the movement sending sharp pain again.
It was not very subtle; everyone was staring at her, worried.
"Sorry, Dani, I didn't mean—" Megan tried to say, standing up from her spot.
"It's okay, Meg, I'm fine." She tried to smile at her.
Yoonchae, hearing the commotion, came too, watching Dani attentively.
"That didn't sound okay," she said softly, and all of them nodded.
Sophia looked into the green eyes now and sighed. "Dani, what's happening?"
"Nothing rea—" Sophia shook her head before interrupting her.
"Daniela," she said sternly now, and the tone left her speechless. She couldn't lie when Soph was right there using her worried mami tone.
So her breathing quickened as her lip wobbled with watering eyes, and Sophia had to rest her hand on the rising and falling chest until she covered the eyes and broke into tears, hiccuping as she tried to talk.
"Oh, bebé," Sophia cooed, her hand rubbing the area, trying to send comfort.
"My ankle is hurt," she managed to talk.
"You sprained?" Lara asked, and she nodded shyly.
Manon reached to pull the sweatpants up a bit, revealing a very swollen, starting-to-look-purple ankle. All of them let out surprised gasps.
"How long?" Yoonchae asked quietly, holding Megan's hand.
"...Morning," she muttered, knowing it wasn't the best idea she had.
And all of them looked horrified.
"You danced all day on that?!" Megan exclaimed, seeing how bad the hurt area was.
"Why didn't you say something?" Sophia asked, pulling her close. Daniela could feel herself slipping more.
"It's not the first time; I'm used to it... So I didn't want to worry." Daniela said softly, hiccuping more at hearing all of their worried voices.
"Damn, looks pretty bad," Manon said, taking a look, only to receive a scolding bump from Lara.
"We will get ice for it," she said before pulling her girlfriend away before saying something that could upset little Dani further.
Yoonchae kept staring quietly and slightly scared at the injury. Megan tugged their joint hands a bit to catch her attention.
"Come on, let's get her comfort things; she will need them," the older mumbled, tugging the Korean upstairs.
"I don't wanna go to the hospital," she mumbled, holding onto Sophia, wanting to be held on her lap.
"Shh... no one is talking about the hospital yet; we'll think about it later," she said, brushing some curls out of her face. "You had more painkillers than you should, right?"
Daniela whimpered, trying to hide her face into her chest, giving the Filipina the answer she needed.
Manon came back holding a couple of pillows and gesturing to Sophia, who pulled the little one onto her lap sideways, and the Swiss-Ghanaian made her best to carefully hold the leg and place it onto the pillow.
"Owie! That hurts!" she exclaimed, trying to kick Manon with her good foot. Sophia held her tighter to stop her.
"Dani, no, don't do that," she sighed, having enough patience for the both of them. "Manon is helping you even though it hurts."
"Sorry, Manzie..."
Manon only chuckled and caressed the curls. "It's okay, baby girl, I know you're kinda overwhelmed."
Lara came behind her with an ice pack in a towel. "Okay, Dani, this is gonna feel cold."
"No, no, no— wait—" Daniela tried to pull away immediately.
Sophia sighed fondly before cupping her cheek.
"You wanna hold my hand while Lara does it?"
Daniela nodded immediately.
The second the ice touched her swollen ankle she squeaked loudly and kicked her good foot.
"Cold! Cold, cold!"
"I know, my Dani, hold still," Sophia soothed, rubbing her side while Lara carefully secured the ice pack.
Yoonchae and Megan came downstairs, the younger a bit behind, clearly scared by the new squeaks from Daniela.
The half-Chinese handed her favorite plushie, a lion that came with a small comb to its mane. She held tightly on it, now more used to the cold feeling on her injury.
Yoonchae adjusted the small blanket onto the little one's lap.
Daniela sniffled a bit at seeing everyone surrounding her.
Megan couldn't help but teasingly coo over her. "Aww, you look so baby now."
"Do not!"
"It does, so cute," she said in the same tone, only for Daniela to try to hit her, but Sophia held her wrist.
"Dani, we don't hit."
Daniela was a really intense little, and the Filipina was still trying to teach her not to use hands when upset.
"But she's mean!"
"Megan is teasing you; you need to use your words."
"Mei, stop!" She pouted, pointing at her.
She nodded with her best guilty face. "Sorry, I was playing with you, Dani." The pink-haired leaned in, pressing a kiss on her hair.
She nodded, leaning a bit into her touch.
They spent time watching TV together. Lara sat leaning on the couch, eating and also feeding Daniela chips. Megan laid her head on Manon's lap while Yoonchae sat between Manz legs on the floor. The oldest alternated caressing the heads of the two maknaes of the group.
Daniela's eyes were already drooping before even finishing her orange juice box.
Sophia needed to call their doctor, ask if it was okay to wait until morning for an appointment, but she couldn't do this in front of little Dani.
"Why don't we move this upstairs?" she asked softly, her thumb caressing the still rosy cheek. "Go in the front with Lara, baby."
Dani shook her head, holding her closer.
"It's okay, we'll go shortly after; will make you some chocolate milk." She pouted but let the Indian, now standing, pick her up easily—the perks of being the smallest member—carefully, to not move the ankle too much.
Besides preferring Sophia was the one carrying her, she quickly cuddled closer to Lara.
Lara carried her carefully up the stairs, each step slow and deliberate, Dani's face buried in her neck, small whimpers escaping whenever the movement jostled her ankle.
Sophia and the other girls followed close behind, phone already in hand, texting their doctor with one thumb while her eyes stayed fixed on Dani's curled form.
They reached Dani and Sophia's room, and Lara lowered her onto the bed with gentle precision, arranging pillows to prop up the injured ankle, the ice pack still secured with a towel. Dani immediately reached for Sophia, grabby hands insistent, and Sophia went to her without hesitation, climbing onto the bed and gathering her close.
"Chocolate milk?" Dani mumbled, the words slurred.
"Coming," Sophia promised, but she didn't move yet, too focused on the warmth of Dani in her arms, the relief of finally taking care of her. She pressed kisses to Dani's forehead, her eyelids, the tip of her nose. "My brave, stubborn girl. Dancing all day on a sprained ankle. What am I going to do with you?"
"Love me?" Dani whispered, half-joking, completely vulnerable.
"Always," Sophia breathed. "Even when you hurt yourself being strong. Always."
Manon slipped out to make the chocolate milk, and Sophia finally made her call, stepping into the hallway with the door cracked, voice low. The doctor said to monitor, to ice every twenty minutes, to come in if the swelling didn't reduce by morning. Nothing urgent, nothing hospital-worthy, just rest and care.
When she returned, Dani was half-asleep, clutching Mr. Lion, the comb in Yoonchae's hands making sure its mane looked good even while being held, and Megan whispered ideas of hairstyles as Lara kept an eye on them. It was clear that Dani's situation was starting to rub off on them.
Manon returned with the chocolate milk in a sippy cup, and in two other normal plastic cups, warm and sweet. Sophia held it for her while Dani drank quietly. Megan and Yoonchae drank from the cups, relying on each other as they all chatted quietly.
They all said goodnight at Dani's room, and Manon said it was late, guiding the maknaes away.
Lara pressed a kiss to Dani's forehead, her hand brushing Sophia's shoulder in silent solidarity. Yoonchae left Mr. Lion within easy reach, adjusting his position three times until he was just right, her own little rituals even when she was 'big'. Megan ruffled Dani's curls, the motion lighter than her usual teasing, and Manon kissed the side of her head.
"Night, baby Dani," Megan whispered, and Dani smiled very softly, too tired. Yeah, she was a baby.
Dani nodded, but her eyes stayed fixed on Sophia, as if confirming she was real, she was staying, she wouldn't disappear. Manon smiled, small and tender, and closed the door with a soft click, leaving them in their cozy bubble.
Sophia brushed Dani's hair, slow strokes, the rhythm that always grounded them both. Dani was heavy against her, the painkillers and the emotional release making her float, but something restless still moved, something not quite settled.
"Soph?" she mumbled, her voice high and young.
"Yeah, baby?"
"Would you love me if I was a knight?"
Sophia blinked, surprised by the turn, the whimsy, the little-logic that made sense only in the space between the fog and sleep. She smiled, brushing a curl from Dani's forehead. "If you were a knight?"
"Yeah. With a horse. And a sword. And—" Dani gestured vaguely, the movement clumsy "—armor. Shiny armor."
"Would I be your princess?" Sophia asked, playing along, her voice soft and teasing.
Dani frowned, considering, her little brow furrowed with intense thought. "No," she decided, firm despite her slurring. "My sailor!"
Sophia laughed, quiet and surprised, the sound warm in the dark room. "Your... what?"
"My sailor!" Dani repeated, more insistent, as if it were obvious, as if this were a well-established fact Sophia had somehow forgotten. "You'd be my sailor. On a boat. With—" she yawned, "—with fish."
"Okay," Sophia agreed, amused, charmed, completely in love with this ridiculous, exhausted girl. "But yeah, I would love you if you were a knight. Even if you made me a sailor instead of a princess."
Dani seemed pleased with this answer, her expression softening, some need to test, to confirm, to be loved in every possible shape. "Hmm..." she hummed, thinking hard, fighting sleep. "Even if I was... a werewolf?"
Sophia pressed a kiss to her temple, her cheek, the corner of her mouth. "Yes, Dani. I would love you if you were a werewolf."
"With fur?"
"With all the fur."
Dani nodded, her eyes drifting half-closed. "Even if I was... a robot?"
Sophia pulled back just enough to meet her eyes, green and young. She cupped Dani's face, thumbs brushing her cheeks, her voice dropping to a whisper that felt like a vow, a promise.
"Yes," she said, fierce and gentle and completely true. "Even if you were a robot. Even if you were nothing at all, just... just Dani. Just my Dani. I would love you in all universes, baby. Every single one."
Dani's lip trembled, her eyes welling, the words landing somewhere deep.
"Now go to sleep," Sophia whispered, brushing her hair one last time, pulling the blanket higher. "You need it."
Daniela seemed pleased with the answer, and she melted into Sophia's arms with a content hum that vibrated through both their chests. Her eyes fluttered closed, her breathing slowed, her body finally, finally surrendering to the safety she'd fought all day.
Sophia held her through the night, waking every hour to check the injury, to adjust Dani's position, to press kisses to her hair and murmur reassurances.
She would love her in all universes, but especially this one; it's her favorite.