Recovery (For Riley)

[bewitchinghaze]

Val got the text from Alfie about Tristan's death and immediately went into overdrive. Abandoning the repotting she was in the middle of, she washed her arms of soil and tossed her apron to the side as she rushed into the main part of the house. She slid into Riley's bedroom and pulled down the covers, hauling out her favourite pyjamas and fluffing up her pillows. A quick sleep charm on her pillow, and she was out the door again, gathering her medical herbs and brewing an extremely strong pot of lavender and valerian root tea.

Pausing, she ran to her room and changed into a comfortable hoodie, figuring she'd be doing a lot of holding once her sister got back and wanting her to have the most comfortable surface to rest against possible. Chewing on her lip, she sits at the kitchen table and runs through a list of things she might need. Knocking her out and letting her sleep through her initial grief may be the best choice, she figures. The lavender tea would help with that but she stuffed a bit of dried chamomile into a pouch and shoved it under her pillow to infuse it through the room.

She sighs, feeling useless as she finishes what she can prepare before Ji-Yun arrives, and sits down on the corner of her bed. Wringing her hands, she waits and tries to prepare herself for the state her sister might be in.

Comments

[bewitchinghaze]

Val frowns slightly. "She is? Is that... police guy back too? Grant's friend?"

[jiyunnies]

Riley nods. "They showed up just as the mist hit again...Moira found me with Tristan."

[bewitchinghaze]

"...I wonder if the mist... exchanged them? Like, we got Moira and that guy back but lost Tristan at the exact same time," she frowns, thinking it over. "The timing was just too perfect."

[jiyunnies]

"Oh God...poor Moira. She's probably already thinking that."

[bewitchinghaze]

"I hope she isn't blaming herself. It's not her fault. It's that stupid fucking mist and whatever asshole, or assholes, are controlling it," she snarls, getting a bit heated now.

[jiyunnies]

"You know Moira. She probably already is, and her mom probably won't help with that." Riley rubs Val's back, sensing her anger as it starts to get the best of her. "I know. We'll just reassure Moira on that."

[bewitchinghaze]

"What if I punch her mother out? I'll stop being angry, she can't upset Moira... It's a win-win situation."

[jiyunnies]

She smiles softly. "You'd both feel better. But let's not pull the wrath of Mrs. Coombs on us, okay?"

[bewitchinghaze]

"No guarantees," she pouts, flopping back into the pillows.

[jiyunnies]

She lays back with Val, smiling reassuringly. "Stay civil, please. For me?"

[bewitchinghaze]

"Only for you, unnie. Only for you," she snorts, rubbing at her eyes.

[jiyunnies]

"Are you tired, Soo-Yun?" she asks, watching Val rub her eyes.

[bewitchinghaze]

She shakes her head. "Just irritable. I didn't sleep as long as you did but I got a good rest while you were down."

[jiyunnies]

"Thank you for making me sleep, by the way." She rests her head on Val's shoulder with a sigh. "The world's going to shit."

[bewitchinghaze]

Val leans over, kissing her forehead. "You're welcome. I figured it would help give you time to calm down so you can process it. And that is a major understatement. The world is going to hell."

[jiyunnies]

"I don't know what I'd do without you." She smiles at the kiss. "What are we supposed to do? I feel so helpless."

[bewitchinghaze]

"Destroy the house, eat really unhealthily, dress like a slob... Basically, you'd fall apart," she teases. "We need to find a way to fight back. A way to not let this mist control us or take anyone else."

[jiyunnies]

"Hey, I don't dress like a slob," she corrects. "Just because I don't wear frilly dresses everywhere." Still, she nods. "With Moira back, maybe we have a chance."

[bewitchinghaze]

"You totally dress like a slob," she teases, sticking out her tongue. "I hope so... She should have some sort of idea of what's going on now, right?"

[jiyunnies]

"I get compliments all the time." She returns the gesture. "If I know Moira, she's figured something out in her time away. Maybe her and James got a much clearer view of what's causing all this."

[bewitchinghaze]

"From the blind, maybe." Val reaches up and tweaks her nose. "We'll have to sit down and talk with her then."

[jiyunnies]

"So rude to your unnie," she tsks. "Mmmhmm, just...not for awhile, okay? Unless you want to talk to her soon."

[bewitchinghaze]

"Only cause I love her," she grns. "Yeah, I can wait. Give her time to adjust to being back."

[jiyunnies]

"Mmmhmm, you have a funny way of showing your love."

[bewitchinghaze]

"You show it the exact same way, unnie, don't even pretend." she giggles.