The L Word
Only one person aboard the Yamga knew any human first aid. Cio had a very specific knowledge of human anatomy, and Princess saw them as pieces of meat that happened to be cool enough not to eat yet. White Chain, as any angel, knew how to protect people from harm but was somewhat inexperienced in putting them back together afterwards. Allison had been a lifeguard at a public pool for one summer, five years ago. Besides, she was the injured one. Nyave had spent years studying disciplines from devil-tech mechanics to herbs and medicines to cross-species anatomy. She was not a healer or a doctor, but she had to do something.
So it happened that part of Nyave’s morning routine was tending to Allison’s injuries. Cio had slinked away to brood in the early morning, so the cabin was quiet as the ship sailed lazily into dawn. Allison slept restlessly, curled up under a twisted pile of blankets. The hazy sunlight made her bone-white hair glow gold. Ragged shadows fell across the girl’s- she was just a girl, wasn’t she- pale face. In the middle of the scar tissue, the key shone. That tiny bit of starlight embedded in her forehead that started this whole mess- is that really the kind of thing that makes people into heroes?
Nyave opened her makeshift first-aid kit and sat down next to the bed, letting her eyes shut for the first time in hours. Visions of raging devils and spiteful empresses flashed for a second on the back of her eyelids. Please, just a minute of dark and weightlessness before a new day. A noise- a short gasp from the bed. Allison was awake. Her bright eyes scanned the room as if she wasn’t sure it was real. They met Nyave’s gaze and relaxed into reality.
“Good morning, Allison,” Nyave reached down and brushed aside one of many stray, white hairs. “How did you sleep?”
“Better than you, looks like,” Allison’s eyebrows arched in concern, “you don’t have to lose sleep waiting for me to wake up every day.”
“I could always send Princess in to watch you. They don’t need to sleep,” Nyave reached into her pack and set a bandage roll and small jar of disinfectant on the cluttered bedside table.
“Ok, no thanks. Seriously, thank you. I don’t know how I’m going to pay you back for this,” She smiled. Their demonic companion was several things, “subtle” and “not intimidating to look at” were not among them. “Ow”
“You should be worried about yourself. White Chain‘s just going to get more nervous until you’re back on your feet. Speaking of which, you’re looking a lot better,” Nyave said as she lifted the bandage from the bridge of Allison’s nose and applied some of the ointment. It was true. The claw marks Cio had gouged across her face had faded to scabs and were fast on their way to just becoming scars.
“White Chain? Nervous? Are we talking about the same person?” Allison slid her legs over the side of the bed.
“You mean you can’t tell? Sit still I’m almost done.”
“I’ve barely gotten out of this bed for like a week, and she’s totally unreadable anyway.”
“And finished,” a clean bandage lay across the center of Allison’s face. “Nine days since your heist. I’ve been trying to move the ship so it feels right.” That was another thing about Throne. The broken sun meant day and night only happened if you were brave enough to make them yourself, traveling from shadow to light side of the disc.
“Isn’t that fucked up? We don’t even know what time it is…” Allison didn’t finish the sentence. Neither of them knew if they would ever see their homes again. They made eye contact, and Nyave gave a tired smile.
“The view is beautiful, though. As long as you don’t inhale too deep.”
“I know right! That’s the first thing I noticed when I got here,” Allison broke the tension, but there was still something unsaid hiding behind her eyes. Nyave put the first aid kit back in her bag and hopped onto the bed beside her friend.
“How did you end up on Throne in the first place?” Nyave’s warm, brown eyes reflected the light on Allison’s forehead.
“I was with Zaid, and… A lot of stuff happened. I think that asshole spiky angel was there. Before I knew what was going on I was here. I basically fell out of the sky onto White Chain.”
“Asshole spiky angel? Wait, White Chain was the first person you met here?”
“Yeah and she was a bit of a jerk! Well. She was herself.”
I don’t think she’s really been herself for a while, thought Nyave. She said:
“Angels are strange.”
The statement was certainly true. She didn’t know exactly what to expect but she hadn’t suspected one of the mythical guardians of the multiverse to be… like her.
“Definitely. She did save my life a few times, though,” Allison cracked her neck and stretched out her bandaged arms.
“I think we’ve both nearly died a few too many times to comfortably count,” replied Nyave. Just nine days ago, she’d nearly had her face torn off by a red devil before being barely piloting the Yamga away from a duel between two demiurges intent on destroying Allison and everything she cared about. Odd how she hadn’t felt afraid jumping in to action- it was the nightmares afterwards that really made the memory fearful. She wondered if Allison felt the same way. Heroes probably didn’t care about fear.
“Ha! I’ve lost count!” Allison smirked at Nyave. “God that’s a fucked up thing to lose count of…”
“Your training might be a good thing, then,” Nyave laid a hand on her friend’s shoulder.
“I’m still not sure about it,” Allison’s hand closed into a fist. Nyave could the muscles tighten in her shoulder.
“I’m sure you can do, Allison. Besides, you have to.” Exhaustion created into Nyave’s voice.
“I know. I know I can, and I know what I need to do. It’s just something feels different.”
“I’m sure White Chain will do her best not to break all the bones in your arms,” Nyave offered.
“Not with her, me. She told me the tri-something mantra to focus on: wisdom, restraint, emptiness,” Allison ran her fingers through her hair. “I’m definitely not wise, and…” she trailed off.
Nyave bit her lip, looking out the window at the dawn city.
“I don’t know what I’m supposed to be empty of. I’ve been through all of this ‘cutting myself into greater shapes’ and ‘seeking thrones’ shit and I barely even know how to be myself,” she turned to Nyave, “We all barely even know each other.”
“We have time to learn.” Nyave extended a hand to help Allison up. “I’m not your handmaiden, but if you ever need to talk to another human I will be here.”
“Well actually,” Allison took her hand, ready to stand, “I don’t know who else to say this too.”
“Yes?” Nyave tilted her head, disheveled curls leaning to the side.
“Nyave, I think I’m a lesbian.”
“What? Is that an earth thing?”
Allison told her. A tension lifted.
“Oh! I think I might be too.”