Warrior nun one shots (avatrice)

you like pain pt.2

Lilith is attuned to her surroundings even though her brow is lifted in amusement at watching Camila fumble around trying to find a way in this safe house she, herself, suggested.

Beatrice has tried valiantly to coerce an explanation out of her about whose house this is and how does Camila know about it... and  why  is she having trouble opening the door.

But for all that Camila looks to the world like a soft and naive young woman, she's surprisingly mischievous and is pretty good at keeping secrets. Lilith doubts they'll ever know anything about this place, and honestly? it's irrelevant. They just need a place to stay the night, they're not here on vacation.

"Aha!" A triumphant Camila reappears from behind an enormous plant pot with a key and a huge grin on her face. She promptly turns and proceeds to open the door, cautiously, like she doesn't know what to expect. If it weren't for the war Lilith knows they must fight soon, she'd be driving herself crazy over this mystery.

After a quick yet meticulous inspection, Camila turns back again with a smile and invites them in with a flourish, taking Ava's hand in hers again to pull her inside. While Mary stomps after them, Lilith surveys the area around the cabin openly now and catches Beatrice doing the same. The two share a look and a nod, confirming nothing is out of order. They're safe here.

"It's cold" Ava shudders and her voice is a little coarse, but she's rooted to the spot where, presumably, Camila let go of her hand, busy finding... something. It  is  cold inside the structure. There's a hum and then lights are turning on and Lilith can feel the temperature starting to regulate. But Ava is also just probably exhausted.

She's been overcompensating for her rapid healing by trying to do all the chores for them along their trip. Lilith turns her eyes from studying the interior of the house to focus on the Halo Bearer, she is trying to suppress another shudder and looks like she'd fall on her face if she's not presented with a bed soon.

"You should take a hot shower, if possible, while we figure something for dinner. Then we all need a good night's sleep." Beatrice is placing a comforting hand on Ava's back, near the Halo. Lilith suspects she's checking if it's active by feeling its heat. The Halo is always hot, Lilith knows -she knows all there is to know, theoretically, about this holy artifact she was supposed to get- unless it's either depleted or broken the Halo is always warm. Beatrice's behavior could be mistaken as overbearing, but it is odd to see Ava so still while conscious.

She's always fidgeting, moving, talking; there's constant excited energy about her. And even though the Halo is not there to cure Ava of sleepiness. Ava is like an energetic child high on sugar, she's always vibrating, fighting sleep like she refuses to waste a second not living, then she's out like a switch went off. There's never this subdued preamble.

Lilith suspects there's more than just physical exhaustion at play. Maybe she's also emotionally drained.

After all, Ava has gone from traumatic event to traumatic event with barely a moment to breathe, and she's the only one who has not been prepared for this.

"Here, you take this room, it has an adjacent bathroom. There's another one down that hall if anyone wants to use it first. I'll start in the kitchen." Camila guides Ava to a cozy-looking room and points at a door, that's presumably the bathroom, and at a chest of drawers, presumably for towels and other toiletries. And then points in the direction of a hall.

Mary wordlessly takes the chance to be the first in that other bathroom and Lilith decides then to follow Camila to the kitchen. Beatrice lingers a little longer in the room with Ava, before joining the cooking efforts.

"Are you alright?" Lilith hears Beatrice ask, voice low. She doesn't hear Ava's response, but she can picture her, nodding and smiling back.

The smile would be tight-lipped and small, but genuine. Half an hour later finds Lilith almost walking into Beatrice, who's on her way to check on Ava, still not surfacing from her shower, while Camila and now Lilith had successfully cleaned up after Mary in the bathroom down the hall.