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Love was always a fickle thing.
It could be loud, rambunctious, and demanding of attention, filling up the head and the heart and everything in between. It could be brash, unapologetically messy, and all-consuming. It could lift to the highest highs and cut to the deepest depths… But usually, love was soft. It was the way a quiet touch would linger just a second too long on a wrist, or the way a worry would linger ever-present until the kids returned safely. It was the way the first glowing beams of a new day welcomed weary sleepers into the warmth.
It was what Eda had spent so long denying, fighting against, but had always found its way back to her, no matter how undeserved.
~~~~~
Eda was dragged, quite unwillingly, from the depths of sleep by an ever-present, throbbing ache. Instinctively, her body tried to curl in on itself, but her inflamed joints sent jolts of pain spider-webbing throughout her frail frame in protest. She hissed through her teeth, keeping her eyes shut against the light of the outside world as she took stock of everything.
Every joint, from her knees to her fingers, felt weak and achy, and her muscles were tight and sore, as if she’d ran a marathon in her sleep. It was going to be one of those days, it seemed.
Usually, the ache in her bones was a steady, constant thing, dull enough to let her go about her days running from authority and trying to keep up with her kids. It had even gotten better after she’d come to understand the Owlbeast and stopped fighting for total control. There were still bad days where not even a modified elixir could lessen the discomfort, but they were decently few and somewhat far between.
It seemed she pulled the un-luck of the draw.
Ever so slowly, she stretched an arm out, searching for the familiar warmth that had taken residence in the newly renovated nest over the past years. Her shaky fingers met only the cool fabric of the many blankets strewn over the mass of twigs and spongy moss.
The bedroom door quietly clicked open, and Eda’s ears twitched. She grit her teeth as she tried to turn herself around, listening to the familiar footfalls as they approached the nest.
“Hey Rainstorm,” she rasped, finally opening her eyes.
Raine looked down at her, the corners of their green eyes tightening as they took her in. A tray with a couple of steaming mugs and a bottle of glowing amber was delicately placed on the cluttered nightstand. “Bad day, huh?”
Eda tried for an easy grin, but it quickly turned into a wince as her muscles twinged in protest. Their mouth pulled into a thin line, and Eda had to fight the instinct to turn away, to close off any sign of vulnerability until she felt better on her own.
Raine picked up the elixir, pulling the cork out before raising the bottle to their lips. They whistled a quiet, complex little medley into the potion. Eda struggled to pull herself into an upright position, her arms threatening to give out from under her for every movement. A strong, firm hand, fingers calloused from years of coaxing music out of metal strings, grabbed her good arm to ease her up.
She leaned back into the wall of the nest with a sigh, clenching her jaw until the spike of pain dulled down enough to open her eyes again. That same hand brushed a thumb across her pale cheekbone, and she found herself leaning into the warmth.
“You better drink this before it wears off,” Raine said lightly, slipping the potion into her clumsy fingers.
She raised it to her lips, her partner at the ready in case the bottle should slip. The smooth liquid went down her throat easily, leaving a faint citrusy aftertaste that was miles better than its original bitterness. It had taken them months, and a lot of elixirs, to find a tune that worked with the potion. Raine, with that big brain of theirs, knew more about potions than they let on, and Eda found herself enjoying those quiet afternoons spent experimenting until they found a spell that not only improved the taste of the concoction, but also managed to increase its effectiveness for a short while.
Still, Eda made a face as she downed the rest of the elixir, earning her a laugh from Raine that did wonders to raise her aching spirit. They brought over a low chair, taking their place as they set the tray with the mugs on the edge of the nest.
Eda took a drink into her hand, and the warmth eased the throbbing in her knuckles. The tea was strong, but not unpleasant. She inhaled the spicy scent of cinnamon and ginger, thanking the Titan for the thousandth time that Camila had always kept their tea well stocked.
Speaking of…
“Did Cam already head to work?”
Raine nodded, taking a sip of their tea, “Saw her off this morning.”
Eda groaned goodnaturedly. It was just her luck that her heart chose the two people who could never sleep past dawn.
“Luz and Amity were still planning on coming for dinner,” Raine continued, glancing down at her worriedly, “I can call them and—”
“Nah,” Eda waved her arm, chuckling fondly, “Titan knows they’ll come anyway.”
A small smile tugged at their lips, “I’m sure King knows they’ll come. It’s his sister, after all.”
Eda swatted at her partner, but she couldn’t keep herself from joining in with their laughter, even if it hurt. She sunk deeper into the nest, taking another drink of the tea. The chair scraped against the ground as Raine moved closer, and Eda watched as they reached a hand out, fingertips pausing at her hairline, waiting for permission. She sighed, giving in and leaning into the touch as they carded through her mane of gray hair, lovingly detangling the mess made by sleep.
“I’ll fly King to school,” they reassured softly, gently guiding her head to rest on their thigh. “You just get some more sleep, alright?”
Eda grumbled something to the affirmative, her eyelids already drooping from the repetitive stroking of her hair. The empty mug was plucked from her hand, and those fingers continued to run through her locks with a level of care that almost felt alien. She was halfway to unconsciousness when a featherlight kiss was pressed into her forehead, willing a dreamless sleep.
~~~~~
Eda shoveled more chips into her mouth as the crystal ball droned on with some over the top, melodramatic, sickeningly disgusting love story between a witch and some egg-shaped demon. It was horrendous, truly, but it was the only thing her foggy mind could tolerate. The elixir had helped in bringing the constant throbbing in her joints and muscles to a more tolerable level, but she was still unable to focus on anything without catalyzing a headache.
She had already tried to get work done on some headmaster paperwork, and had even tried picking up one of Cam's Cosmic Frontier novels, but the wordy terminology was hard to wrap her head around even on the best of days, so alas, she was left with intermittent napping and terrible programming.
Honestly, the sappy romance and terrible writing might be something Luz would’ve enjoyed. She’d have to mention it later.
Eda’s ears perked up to the sound of someone ascending the stairs. The day was growing late, and the unique rhythm of the steps easily gave away who it was. She couldn’t help the grin on her face as Camila cracked open the bedroom door, stepping fully in when she saw that the witch was awake.
“How are you feeling?” she asked gently, kneeling beside the nest and brushing a stray, gray lock from her face.
Her heart shuddered at that delicate touch, still hesitant to believe she was worth any of the care she received after so many years.
“Better, now that you're here,” she smirked, cupping Camila’s warm hand with her own.
The human's cheeks darkened, and Eda's heart swelled as she giggled. She pulled her arm away to turn off the abomination on the crystal ball, trying to suppress a wince as her muscles twinged.
Camila recaptured her hand as the room was cast into silence, gently working her thumbs into the muscle to ease out the tightness. Distant sounds drifted from downstairs, soon accompanied by the smells of Raine's cooking.
Camila continued her ministrations, looking at her like she was one of the most important people in the world.
She could hardly bear it.
Those beautiful brown eyes crinkled slightly in concern, as if she could sense what she’d been thinking. Honestly, she wouldn’t put it past her. She always had the uncanny ability to sense the mood of those around her. It was of the things that drew Eda, and Raine, to her.
“Ay, mi corazón, you're over thinking, I can tell,” she smiled softly.
Those tanned hands, calloused from years of work and smelling slightly of antiseptic, traveled to her shoulders, working out the tension gathered there. Eda practically purred as she melted into the touch, earning a small laugh from the other woman.
There was a slight commotion from downstairs. Luz's voice was unmistakable as she greeted Raine and King. Eda shared an amused look with Camila. The one thing their daughter wasn't, was quiet.
Camila pressed one final kiss to the back of her neck, sending a shiver down her spine, before rising to her feet. Eda sputtered, feeling the heat crawl all the way up to her hairline as her partner chuckled, looking all too smug.
There was a knock at the door, just before King poked his head in. He looked somewhere between nervous and concerned. No doubt the others had told him she was having a bad day. Eda couldn't fight the fond smile pulling at her lips.
“Um, Luz and Amity are here,” he tapped his claws together, “And Ren’s almost finished with dinner.”
“We’ll be right down, mijo,” Camila smiled.
He nodded, sparing Eda one last concerned glance before shutting the door. Eda shook her head with a soft sigh. The human held out her hand, looking down at the witch with those mahogany eyes that seemed to embody warmth. Eda considered for a moment, before finally taking the proffered arm to help herself up. She was never good at accepting any help from anyone, but after several long, much needed talks, she’d been trying to get better. She was lucky she had partners as patient as they were.
Getting herself upright was slow going, but Camila stood firm as Eda straightened herself out. Muscles ached, and her joints popped, but after spending a moment to stretch out, she was finally able to bear the thought of moving again. Together, they made their way to the hallway and down the stairs. Camila talked casually about her day at work: a little kitten coming in for its first checkup, a bird that had hit a window, one of her poor coworkers dropping his lunch right out of the microwave, and Eda was silently grateful for it. She didn’t need anyone putting up a fuss about her, especially if nothing could be done about it.
Luz’s eyes lit up when she stumbled into the kitchen, and Amity offered a polite, but genuine smile. Eda waved off Luz’s concerned questions, releasing Camila’s arm to tussle her kid’s hair affectionately. Raine stepped away from the stove, placing a plate of freshly baked arepas, already stuffed with tender meat and vegetables, on the table. The scent made her mouth water, and she made a show of trying to steal one away before Raine pulled the dish just out of reach.
Eda pouted, and she could practically feel their eye roll, even as they turned away to grab something else. Soon, a fresh mug of tea was pushed into her hand, and she was sent to take a seat at the table while Raine and Camila finished bringing the food over, including a plate of unstuffed arepas and various other fillings.
Finally, the two took their seats on either side of Eda, and food was dished out. The air buzzed with a pleasant warmth, and she was content to bask in it all. King and Luz were quick to see who could stuff the most into their bread, and consequently, who could open their mouth the widest to eat it all. Camila rested her hand on the witch’s knee, absently brushing her thumb over the aching joint as she and Raine asked Amity about her upcoming expedition to the Left Arm. It was comforting, to have the house so full of noise and warmth after so many years of cold silence.
Eda sipped her tea, closing her eyes and letting the sound of the others, of her family wash over her.
Love was a fickle thing, but surely, Eda had found it.