Moonshiner

The ♀︎ Reborn Urubu

Owner: Frenchi

Mayhem

the rockitty

job:

Sparring
Partner

Moon scowled at the pavement as she stomped her cigarette butt into oblivion. To say she was in a pissy mood would be an understatement.

The thing was. The thing was! It had been such a stupid fucking fight, was the thing! They had just been trying to make some god damn cookies, but as usual, nothing Moon did was quite right. Her butter wasn’t creamed enough, she hadn’t let the eggs temper long enough, her cups of flour weren’t level enough. And of course Viv always had to sound so rational about it.

“It’s not a criticism,” she’d insisted.

“I’m just trying to teach you,” finished a voice Moon had spent the better part of her life trying and failing to shake off.

So was it any wonder that Moon had thrown down the measuring cup a little too hard, metal clattering against the countertop? Was it any wonder Viv had flinched, and Moon had realized – face burning, clenched fists shaking – that if she didn’t get out of there right that second, she was going to certifiably lose her shit?

So there she was, back against the wall, smoke streaming from her nostrils. She blinked against frustrated tears and icy wind. What she needed, Moon reasoned, was a good, solid distraction.

✧   ✧   ✧

Swaying in the doorway to her own apartment, one hand clutched tight to her middle, Moon couldn’t feel anything but stupid and pathetic. A few sharp kicks with the toe of her boot would have to suffice as knocking.

Viv opened the door with a flat, exasperated “What” and a roll of her eyes – but her expression went panicked when she processed the sight before her.

“H-hey,” Moon managed with a weak smile, as though she weren’t bloody and bruised and barely staying on her feet. “Can I come in?”

“Oh my god, get in here!” Viv bundled her into the apartment and onto the couch, then went for the first aid kit. “And don’t you dare fall asleep!”

Moon groaned, tipping her head back against the plush sofa cushions. Sleep sounded pretty good to her swimming head right about now…

“Hey, uh-uh.” Fingers snapping by her ear yanked Moon out of that brief respite and back into the ache that permeated her body. Something warm was being pressed into her hooves, and she belatedly realized it was a cup of tea. “You’re lucky I was already making some for myself…” Viv muttered, tail lashing anxiously.

Moon took a sip – valerian – and hissed through gritted teeth as Viv got to work cleaning the lacerations on her arm.

“How did this happen?”

“Oh, y’know…” Moon shrugged her free shoulder. “Bein’ stupid.”

Viv hummed in acknowledgement – agreement, maybe – and meticulously stuck little multicolor bandages over each and every cut. It wasn’t quite the doting, lingering touch she was used to after a bout, but those gentle hands never failed to bring a flush to Moon’s face – one she now hid behind a mug as she downed her tea to the dregs.

She frowned at empty ceramic, sighed long and low, and tried not to make too much noise as she set it on the end table.

“Hey, uh… I’m really sorry,” she said at length. “For earlier, I mean…”

“You think I still care about that?” Viv’s voice was soft, wavering. Her furrowed gaze remained fixed on the task at hand. “It’s… whatever. I was being a bitch, okay? We both know I’m a control freak…”

Moon opened her mouth to argue, but broke off into a gasp when a finger pressed painfully into the bruise across her cheek.

“Shh. Let’s just take care of this.”

“Oh. S-sure.” Moon swallowed and smiled feebly. “So… how nasty do you think this one’s gonna be?”

“Mm, probably not your worst.” Viv prepped some more iodine and gauze, and climbed halfway into Moon’s lap. “But uh, let’s fix you up anyway, shall we?”

Between the tea, head trauma, and close proximity, Moon was finding herself a bit out of it. At least, that was her excuse for why her hands found their way to Viv’s waist. Her teeth ground around a soft growl when the gauze touched her face.

“Sorry,” Viv muttered. “It’s just…” She stroked Moon’s cheek, once more on the verge of tears.

“S’okay.”

“It’s really not,” Viv said thickly. She dabbed at the scrapes and bruises, extra cautious around the emerging black eye. “It’s not okay at all.” And, oh, there were the waterworks.

“No, hey, please don’t – Viv, please. Shh. Please.”

They sat quietly, Viv with a leg slung across Moon’s lap and tears slipping down her face; Moon shushing her, wiping her tears, and starting to doze again.

“Please don’t cry,” Moon mumbled, barely hanging onto consciousness. “I hate makin’ you cry.”

“Hey.” Viv patted her shoulder. “Stay awake. You need to stay awake.”

“M’sorry… Think I need a nap… I’ll be okay…”

The gentle weight of wings settled around Moon’s shoulders, the tickle of a nose nuzzling into her neck. Cocooned from the outside world, they nestled together, whispering apologies and assurances until Moon surrendered to unconsciousness beneath her girlfriend’s careful watch.