Dance of Affliction (GxG)

Sisterly Favors

»»-----¤-----««Estelle's Pov»»-----¤-----««

The morning after all, the panic with a creeping dread that was slow at first, like the sun rising over the horizon starts creeping in. Everything in disarray; thoughts scrambled and jumbled together like clothes thrown out of an open window. Shadows cast themselves upon my mind from all directions until I felt engulfed by a fog of worry and fear so thick it seemed to choke me from within. Nothing was quite right anymore- not even familiar objects held their usual comfort or assurance any more - just an ever present uneasiness that pushed against me whenever I tried to move forward into something new. I look at my ceiling for a split moment before my eyes glance down to the alarm clock on my nightstand.

"Ten o'clock already?" I groan, my voice raspy as I reluctantly push myself up in bed. Staring in the mirror across from me, I mutter, "Good morning gorgeous." My eyes are still half-lidded as I try to wake up--and it shows. It's like I stuck a fork in an outlet with the way my hair looks.

Morning hair.

It's a wild mass of shaggy burgundy curls that never quite behave, no matter what I do to them. Spikes here and there and clumps that don't want to measure evenly around the sides. I sigh and decide to just leave it as-is. No one will see it today anyway.

I slide out of bed and stretch my body, feeling the tension slowly creep away with each motion. One by one, I begin to get ready for the day – brushing my teeth, washing my face, changing into something comfortable. My usual morning to be fair. But there was one tiny detail that I forgot. I open my door and stroll into my livingroom rubbing my eyes when I'm met with Fedorov who was sitting up straight on the couch with a cigarette. I am staring for a solid couple minutes as my brain tries to remember what happened last night. Then I see the bandages on her lower stomach and shoulder.

Right.

"Good morning to you too." I groan shuffling my feet over the hardwood floor of my apartment.

"Mhm."

But all I got in return was a hum.

"Color me shocked, you're not exactly a ray of sunshine in the morning either." I shoot back sarcastically as I make my way to the kitchen. I grab some milk from the fridge and turn on the coffee machine before turning back to face her with an eyebrow raised.

"Shut up, Sparky. I didn't sleep for shit." Mallory grumbles, rubbing her shoulder.

"What's wrong with my couch?" I protest indignantly.

"Yours feels like I'm sleeping on a slab of concrete or something," she snarks back.

"Ah, I'm absolutely glowing with joy from your presence," I deadpan, barely managing to refrain from chucking the milk carton in my hand at her big, egotistical head. I grab my coffee, adding a splash of milk before placing it back in the fridge. I head towards the living room, tiptoeing across the wooden floorboards. Taking a seat beside her, I take a sip from my cup, an almost involuntary sigh escaping my lips as the warmth spreads through me. Silence envelops us like a thick fog; we sit together quietly without saying anything.

Once I finished my coffee I put the cup on the little table in front of me and turn to her.

"Alright, let me take a look," I murmur, my hands already reaching out to the gauze wrapped around her shoulder and stomach.

"Don't!" Mallory hisses at me and I shoot her an annoyed frown.

"Do we have to go over this again? I need to check if you haven't accidentally peeled off the bandages in your sleep from moving around too much." I argue. I see and hear her grumble before she stubs out her cigarette on the ashtray on the table in front of us. Sighing I carefully remove the bandages and examine Mallory's wounds; what little sunlight that filtered in through the windows illuminated various bruises and cuts.