A Danger That Lurks In The Darkness | A TPQ AU |

XX | A Fragile Kind Of Peace

MINI
"So, are you okay?"

The question had grown tiring. "Possibly."

She was lying upside-down on Sheela's couch, watching Brynne cook something.

"Bee, that smells—" she scrunched up her nose, looking up at Brynne.

Brynne shot her a glare, and said, "You'll eat it."

"'Course I will,"

Nikita walked into the kitchen, surveying it. "You'd better not dirty this place."

"You can trust me, Nikki,"

"I know I can't."

"Nikita!" The three of them heard Sheela call from her room. "Will this look good?"

"Coming!" she called back, and went into the hallway.

"Wow," Mini said, thoughtfully. "Sheela's going on a date. It still seems like she's a kid."

"We're only four years younger than you!" Nikita called out, from somewhere.

Brynne set the spoon down, and said, "It's almost like it was yesterday when she was puking on my shoes."

Mini shuddered. "Why do you remind me of that?"

"Hey!" Sheela poked her head out, her voice defensive. "I was ten. And nauseous. It's not my fault,"

"Tell that to fourteen-year-old me, whose shoes were ruined," Brynne muttered.

Sheela blew Brynne a raspberry, before they heard Nikita holler: "Sheela! Get your butt here!"

Sheela left, and Brynne, who was peering into the vessel, said, "So what's the deal with you and Rudy?"

Heat filled her cheeks, as she got up, abruptly, and said, "We're coworkers, nothing else," A nervous laugh escaped her.

Nikita came back out, and said, "Are we making Mini uncomfortable? Can I join?"

Mini scowled at the both of them, as Sheela came out, too, looking at them nervously. "Do I look alright?"

Brynne nodded, and gave her an encouraging thumbs-up.

Mini smiled, and said, "You look very pretty,"

Sheela exhaled, in relief. "Good." Before falling on the couch.

Nikita frowned. "Won't you be late?"

"I'm meeting her at 9. It's only 7.30."

"What's her name?" Brynne asked, spooning soup into bowls.

"May." Sheela said, an excited smile lighting up her face.

"Seems like you really like her," Mini said, looking at Sheela.

"She's very pretty. We've been texting."

"Good for you." Brynne said.

"As if you can say. How's yours and Hira's romance of the century going?"

It felt funny to watch Brynne blush. "Give us the details!"

"Shut up,"

"Nah,"

She felt a shred of normalcy return in their conversations— no concerned looks, no pity— but she could sense how fragile this normalcy was. Like they were all walking on thin ice, and it would take one sentence, one word for the ice to break, and for all of them to drown in the freezing water underneath.

Brynne let out a long-suffering sigh, before saying, "I wish Aru and Aiden were here, it—" her voice broke off, as her eyes widened.

She felt the ice crack.