For Regan and Larita

[andhiswife]

Despite only having been stuck in the barn for a day, she still approaches the cottage as if she isn't entirely sure what she might find there. Guilt and embarrassment both gnaw at her, as if, with this long a tenure in the city, there's something shameful about succumbing to one of Darrow's escapades so completely. And without even noticing, which might be the worst part. She can't even tell herself she went down fighting.

Given all that, the indignity of ending up as a cow's scratching post feels a little too apropos. A not-so-small part of her wishes she could have a bath before she had to actually face anyone, though she's aware of what a silly, selfish arrangement that would be.

So it would have been with a rather subdued air that she actually crossed the threshold, except that the dogs heard her voice through the back door and are waiting to swarm her with a great deal of whining, tail wagging, and shoving her about with their noses. "Yes, yes," she says as Cú winds around the back of her legs and Sadie actually heaves herself up to put her paws on Greta's shoulders and sniff at her chin. "Oh, for goodness' sake. I'm all right, I promise."

Comments

[negative_feedback]

Larita's Sign isn't great — neither smooth nor quick, and usually SEE, not ASL. But she knows Greta's and Saoirse's Sign names, and when she tells Regan that Saoirse's back and they're walking in together, Regan feels a buzzing anxiety rush out of her. The dogs swarm the door, and Regan resists the urge to follow — but she only manages a moment.

Cú glances up at Regan and steps aside when she gets close, and Regan grabs Greta's shoulder with one hand before drawing back to speak properly.

"Look, I get it, okay? I won't do those weird home-dreams anymore."

It's so much easier to joke about it than to tell Greta how worried they'd all been. It's not like Greta can change any of that, after all.

[andhiswife]

Regan makes her way through the furry honor guard, and Greta is certain enough that a hug will follow that the shoulder-clasp and the comment get a rather bemused stare for a beat or two. Then the joke registers, and she snorts out a laugh and shakes her head before pulling Regan into her arms.

It isn't until after she's given Regan a good, long squeeze that she loosens her hold and draws back enough to answer her properly. "I suppose this makes us even," she says with a wry smile. Sobering a little, she adds, "Are you okay?" Maybe she hasn't been out of commission for that long, all things considered, but she has no idea what the last day has actually been like.

[negative_feedback]

Regan squeezes her eyes shut when Greta hugs her so tight, and she pretends it doesn't make her want to cry with relief. Saoirse draws the dogs away from them to give them a little space, and when Greta asks her question, she nods.

"Better now," she admits, tufts of cow hair sticking to her shirt collar. She couldn't care less. "Just... really glad you're okay. Are you okay?" Then her eyes widen as a new realization occurs to her. "Oh my god, you must be so thirsty!"

[andhiswife]

"I'm okay," Greta is quick to reassure her. "I don't really remember what happened, which is strange, but..." she lapses into a shrug. On the one hand, remembering would doubtless be worse; on the other, it rankles that she missed all the excitement and worried her loved ones, and all she has to show for it is a span of missing time and altogether too much cow hair still sticking to her clothes.

And now Regan's clothes, too, and she reaches out to remove one of the tufts from her collar with a quiet tsk.

She probably ought to feel more thirsty (and hungry) than she does, but if nothing else, she wouldn't mind washing the lingering mineral taste out of her mouth. "Is there juice?" she asks. Water alone wouldn't cut it, but she also doesn't want to set Regan to the chore of making tea.

[negative_feedback]

Regan bobs her fist and looks toward Larita expectantly. Larita, who's been sort of staring while she scrubs the cointertop, like she's just waiting for her turn, but who promptly spins to grab the fridge handle to check.

"I think I'm glad you don't remember," Regan says seriously. She gives Greta some space at last, not least so she isn't just crowded at the door, even if only by Regan herself now. "I can't imagine knowing you're stone." She shudders and takes the glass from Larita when she offers it.

[auctionofinnocence]

Larita's patience lasts until Regan glances over at her, and then the girl collects Sadie, Cú and Saoirse and tugs them out of the room. Saoirse's eyes are still pink, so it's likely Regan'll be trying to cheer her up now that she's ensured Greta's alright.

Which Lari will judge for herself, thank you. She'd been busying herself with wiping down the counters — again — rather than crowd Greta right at the door with everyone else, but now that they're alone, she steps close and takes her hand.

"My darling," she murmurs, and presses her forehead against Greta's before indulging in a sweet kiss.