It Started With a Spinny

Saying Hello

Content Warning: this chapter describes severe physical and emotional child abuse. If you are not able to engage with that, there will be a detail-free summary at the start of the next chapter.

She's being held. A warm, steady arm is around her shoulders, her tail limp across their lap. She's drinking something hot and soothing, something that makes her feel so much better. She looks up to see who's holding her, stares up into a golden mask, electric blue eyes staring back at her.

"It's okay," Belos says, "drink."

She recoils back.

"Wow!" Camila adjusts her grip on Vee's tail to stop her falling, "it's okay, you're okay mija!"

Her hearts are racing as she looks around the cell - around the room, sees the tv, the sofa she's on, Camila holding her, Luz holding the mug of hot chocolate in one hand as she wipes at the vest of her jacket with the other.

Her entire body curls inwards, "You're favourite jacket!"

Luz looks up, "Oh, no it's okay I-"

"I've ruined it! I've ruined everyth-"

"Nope!" Camila announces as she pulls her into another hug, "None of that!" She holds her against her shoulder, rocking her gently.

She pulls at Camila's teal top, desperate to know what's real. "These are your scrubs?"

"What, oh yes, sorry their may be a few fresh strains from today."

"Shouldn't you be at-"

"I asked Carmen to lock up so I could come home early. Call it mother's intuition."

"Oh?"

"Uha, because when I came home you were curled into a ball on the kitchen floor with Luz and Amity desperately trying to get through to you."

"... oh."

"So I picked you up and I've been holding you here until you were ready."

"..."

Luz has been blowing on the hot chocolate, and very carefully offers it again with that wonderful smile of hers. She weakly nods, raises her shaking arms to the warm mug. Luz doesn't let go, but takes the weight as she guides it to her mulberry lips and helps her to drink, letting the rich warmth flow into her, fill her, heal her.

When she stops Luz pulls the drink back, her voice soft and tender: "There, any better?"

She nods, her voice still hoarse, "What, what potion is that?"

Luz laughs, that sweet laugh of hers.

"It's hot chocolate," Amity states as she kneels beside Luz with two wet wipes, passing one to Luz for her jacket and very carefully offering the other.

She blinks sideways at it.

Amity smiles tenderly, and she's so gentle, so careful as she reaches up and uses the wet wipe on her cheek, wiping away the tears.

Camila squeezes her shoulders, "I always said that hot chocolate is a potion for the heart."

Luz smiles with bittersweet fondness. "You always made it for me when I'd had a rough day." Then her hazel eyes find her, "Did you, did you wanna talk about-"

Camila lifts her hand from her tail to hold Luz's shoulder, squeezing, "Why don't we give her a few minutes to-"

"I was back in my cell."

Amity freezes with the wipe still on her cheek. Then gently resumes wiping her tears away. Her voice is kind, patient: "Did you want to talk about it?"

Her whole body tenses inwards, the pressure of tears rising! She takes a deep breath, lets it settle, hesitates for a long time. Then: "I was back in my cell, in the dungeons below the castle."