Once More With Feeling

A Show Of Strength And Trust

"How are you feeling?"

A fiery hand weaved through newly cleaned copper strands, gently entangling the knots as it came by them.

"Exhausted"

A kiss was pressed to the top of her head and she smiled.

It had been almost a full day since Maya came back to her senses and the reminders of what she'd lost where everywhere.

The first time her glance met the 'emergency' flower pot on her nightstand, she was balling her eyes out.

(The fire elemental quickly got rid of it after that)

But Grillby managed to at least get some food and water into her and more or less forced her to take a shower afterwards, insisting that she could only start to heal if she didn't stink anymore.

Maya called bullshit on that, but the shower did feel good and she realized she was actually quiet hungry and thirsty, so she complied with only a little grumbling.

"Mentally or physically?"

"Both I guess.", she answered slowly, playing with the hems of the sweater Grillby let her steal. "Not feeling like going back there though, so I guess that's an improvement."

It was an unspoken rule, that neither of them really mentioned the void like space that had held her in an iron grip for the last week and a half.

"I had hoped so.", Grillby admitted with a smile in his voice. "I do want to point out though that you can take your time with healing, alright?"

The girl raised her head, a confused look in her eyes.

'Now what's that supposed to mean?'

"You have a uh.. tendency to go overboard after extreme situations.", he explained, the tips of his flames turning a light pink.

Okay, fair point- but! But usually there was no time for her to 'properly' settle into a new situation or shit like that- whatever that even meant.

Lilly died and she immediately had to kill their parents..

She fell into the Underground and Flowey found her as soon as she woke up..

(Maya was proud that the thought only hurt a little bit.)

She got sent to the Surface, only to fight her way back down the next morning.

Back in the Underground and the training began..

Alright, maybe she really should take her time dealing with this.

"Yeah, I guess you're right there.", the girl agreed hesitantly, firmly ignoring the presence in the back of her head that kept reminding her of the dark place that she could always just crawl back into.

Grillby held her closer for a moment, relief noticeable in the way he relaxed against her.

'Huh. That's uh, that's interesting that I never noticed that until now actually.', she concluded slowly, not sure how to feel about the fact.

Voicing the thoughts to Grillby made the fire elemental shrug with a small smile on his face.

"I don't think it's your fault or you're doing it on purpose, first and foremost. Your life just.. went a certain way and you had to adapt.", came his slow explanation. "I just want you to know that the treat is over, no human will ever come down here again. And if they do, we will be ready. You don't have to throw yourself head over heels into something, you have time to heal."

"Huh"

That actually kind of helped.

He pressed a kiss to the top of her head again.