A Blessed Curse [Rewrite]

Chapter 16 - Acceptance

Everything has grown a little calmer.

While memories and concerns still tend to make it difficult for her to fall asleep, Soleil has found it a little easier than it was the days before they went to see the others. The kind post-it note Maka had stuck on the book she borrowed from Soleil when she came to return it serves as evidence, a reminder that it's okay. If it weren't for that, Soleil might have thought that it was only a futile dream of something she could never have.

Having free time today, Soleil finds herself curled up on the couch in the living room with a book in her hand. She can't feel the pages as well with her right hand as before, even though the scars had already made that difficult for years. It seems that some of the numbness will stay around as a result of her father's attack.

Her father.

He's still out there, still hurting. He must feel lonely, if he can still feel with the madness in control, that is.

She should be finding a way to save him.

Soleil shakes her head, pushing the thought from her mind and grabbing the cup of tea she had made earlier to distract herself 'Lune still hasn't fully recovered from the madness. She needs me home. Papa would understand.'

Would he?

She's about to start insulting her own madness when Lune comes down the stairs "Tea? Seriously?"

Grateful for the distraction, Soleil puts a book marker between the pages before holding up a hand in defence "Lune, you've known me our entire lives. Why do you even bother asking at this point?"

"We now live in a desert, Soleil. It's hot!"

"There's no such thing as too hot outside for tea." Soleil scoffs, taking another sip of her drink purely out of spite.

"You're unbelievable." Lune huffs.

"Anyways, did you come down here just to insult my excellent taste or do you need something? Maman has left already. She had to talk to Lord Death or something."

"They're trying to find her a weapon partner." Lune says with a sigh "You would've known that if you had listened."

"I was listening. My brain just decided not to remember the details."

Lune rolls her eyes "But yeah, I needed something. Sort of."

Soleil raises an eyebrow "What is it? Nothing serious?"

With a smile now tugging at her lips, Lune shrugs and sits down on the armrest of the couch "Not the bad kind of serious."

"I don't like that face." Soleil mutters, narrowing her eyes.

"Too bad. You have to look at it." Lune leans over, propping up her elbows on her legs so she can rest her chin on her hands "I may or may not have just heard from Liz they're leaving to go on another mission today."

Soleil quickly takes another sip of tea, hoping the steam may hide her expression a little "So?"

"Oh I dunno. I figured you may want to say goodbye to a certain someone before they leave."

She nearly spits out her drink at that.

Lune laughs at her sister while she has a coughing fit "Man, you've got it bad."

"Oh, shut up!" Soleil manages to choke out, cheeks bright red at this point from both embarrassment and nearly choking on tea.

"What's stopping you?"

"Huh?"

Lune's expression has softened, a gentle and understanding smile having taken the place of that grin she gets when she's up to no good "What's stopping you from acting on those feelings?"