Daughter of a Witch

AU - The Long Day

The sun was beginning to set, casting a warm, golden glow through the windows of the Vidal home. Y/n sat cross-legged on the couch, textbooks and notes spread across the coffee table as she worked on her homework. She chewed absently on the end of a pencil, her mind drifting every few minutes despite her best efforts to focus. Glancing at the clock, she wondered how long she could force herself to work before her brain inevitably rebelled.

The sound of the front door opening broke her concentration. She turned her head just in time to see Rio stepping inside. Y/n frowned. Her Mami's usual confident stride was absent, replaced by a dragging shuffle. Rio toed off her shoes and placed her bag down with uncharacteristic sluggishness, not even bothering to hang it up on its usual hook.

"Hey, Mami," Y/n called softly, her voice tentative as she sat up a little straighter.

Rio glanced at her; the weariness in her eyes was so pronounced it made Y/n's chest tighten. She managed a faint smile, but it didn't reach her eyes. "Hey, mija. How's the homework?"

Y/n shrugged. "It's fine. Same old stuff," she replied before tilting her head slightly. "You okay?"

"Long day," Rio muttered, brushing a hand through her hair. Her voice was low, heavy with exhaustion. She hesitated momentarily, then added, "I'm going to lie down for a bit."

Y/n nodded, watching as her Mami turned toward the stairs. Her steps were slow, her shoulders slumping further with each one.

"You sure you don't want to talk about it?" Y/n asked gently, not moving from her spot on the couch but keeping her eyes locked on Rio.

Rio paused at the bottom of the stairs, one hand gripping the banister. She turned her head just enough to glance back at Y/n, her expression softening momentarily. "Not right now, baby. I just... need some time, okay?"

Y/n bit the inside of her cheek, torn between respecting Rio's need for space and wanting to offer comfort. "Okay," she said finally, her voice quiet but understanding.

Rio nodded and ascended the stairs.

As the sound of Rio's footsteps faded, Y/n leaned back against the couch, staring at her scattered notes and textbooks but no longer seeing them. She hated seeing her Mami like this. Whatever had happened today had clearly taken a toll, and Y/n knew from experience that Rio wouldn't open up until she was ready.

Still, she couldn't just sit there doing nothing. Y/n glanced toward the kitchen, an idea forming. If Mami wouldn't talk, maybe she'd appreciate a little act of love instead.

Downstairs, Y/n sat silently for a moment before gathering her homework and setting it aside. If Rio wasn't ready to talk, maybe there was something else she could do. A smile tugged at her lips as an idea formed: dinner. Not just any dinner-Rio's favorite meal, arroz con pollo.

Y/n moved to the kitchen, pulling out the ingredients and scrolling through a recipe on her tablet. Though she was a good cook, she had never made this dish on her own before. The complexity of getting it right made her hesitate, but she shook off the doubt.

She had decided to make Rio's favorite meal, arroz con pollo, hoping it would cheer her up after what had clearly been an emotionally exhausting day. Though Y/n was a good cook, this particular dish was one she hadn't tackled by herself before, and the complexities of getting it right proved challenging.

She muttered to herself as she consulted a recipe on her tablet. "Okay, the rice goes in after the chicken is browned... or is it the other way around?"

The sound of the front door opening pulled her attention momentarily. Agatha stepped in, dropping her bag near the door and shrugging off her jacket. She looked tired but perked up when she caught the aroma wafting from the kitchen.