Canines and Potions (iris and Huntress)

[iris]

╔═══*.·:·.☽✧ ✦ ✧☾.·:·.*═══╗

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Hushed words echoed against the stone walls, just barely heard above the dripping of water onto the stone floor. Delicate fingers wrapped around the handle of a ceremonial dagger. The woman shook lightly in the dim light. Moonlight shone on the bare skin of her nape, glistening with sweat.

When the echoing chants stopped, she squeezed her eyes closed as she pressed the sharpened blade into her open palm. Viscous, heme-red rivulets flowed from the wound, adding to the drip, a disruption to the rhythm of the droplets on stone. An elder stood from the small congregation encircling her, taking her bleeding hand and pressing it to an open page of a black, leather-bound book. The scrawl of sigils screamed with heat, before projecting a new symbol on the woman's hand that lingered for a long moment after she had snatched it away. A word flashed across her mind, voiceless: Familiar.

The process of binding a familiar had finally begun. Francine wondered what hers would be. Something small and cute? Like a cat? It would be preferable, so as not to alert her roommate to the reality that she was living with a magic-handler. However carefully magic was practiced under the roof of their apartment, the signs were there if one were to look hard enough. Cuts that always healed a little too fast, coffee that tasted fresh no matter how long it sat in the pot. The cuts weren't that deep. The beans were just high quality. Nothing to raise an eyebrow over.

Francine turned the key to the apartment and opened the door slowly, so as not to disturb her roommate. Hair was still plastered to the sides of her face from the nerves and the blood loss. She'd have to hide the gash on her hand for the next few days. After the excess of magic she had used in the ritual just moments prior, she wouldn't be able to cast a healing spell on it anytime soon. That, and she didn't want to worry her roommate. She put her bag on the kitchen counter and headed to the fridge. It was late, a few minutes past 2 AM, but that wasn't going to stop her from baking muffins to calm her nerves.

╚═══*.·:·.☽✧ ✦ ✧☾.·:·.*═══╝​

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[Huntress]

She had never been a fan of those last-minute calls, but she also couldn't say no to the money. Ricki knew she didn't like rushing to get ready and head to the bar, but he had seemed rather desperate. She had taken the shift knowing that Francine was doing some family stuff till late, so instead of staying home alone, Rayne decided to make some money. The night had been fairly steady, drinks and food both going out rather consistently through her shift. Nice weather meant people liked to go out. Rayne couldn't complain about that, as long as they tipped her, she was happy.

Helping with the kitchen close up, Rayne was allowed to leave around two-ish. She had been grateful for that, the pressure outside must have shifted at some point in the night, because the brunette had found herself feeling a little light-headed and nauseous earlier in the eve. Those sensations were eventually followed by an odd, stabbing migraine. It had burst through her skull and rippled across the entirety of her body, creating this uncomfortable stiffness that quickly grew rather infuriating for her as she ran orders.

Jimmying her key in the lock to the apartment, she struggled ever so slightly with the lock. A muttered frustration escaping her. She had given Francine the good key to the unit. They were supposed to go and get a copy of hers cut, but both women often seemed to forget. Pulling on the door and jiggling the knob and key some more, Rayne stepped back and rammed into the piece of wood with her shoulder. The door almost flying off it's hinges as she stumbled in, saving herself from a faceplant. Standing up straight she turned to look over her shoulder, eyes narrowed in slight confusion. Mumbling something about a 'stupid door' she closed it and locked it before turning around and pulling her backpack off one shoulder. Kicking her shoes off she headed for her room, stopping just outside the kitchen and looking in with a raised brow. "Franny?" She asked as she looked at the brunette. "You're still up?" Another question as she turned and filled the doorway with her form. Bringing her arms up she gripped the frame as she watched her friend. "Did your family thing go okay? You look stressed and tired. Everything alright?" A third question.

 

[iris]

╔═══*.·:·.☽✧ ✦ ✧☾.·:·.*═══╗

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A laugh escaped her at the barrage of questions. The muffins had just come out of the oven when Francine heard the familiar commotion of Rayne making her way into the apartment. She had unceremoniously dropped the pan on the counter in a slight panic trying to figure out how to cover up the stupid gash on her hand, but as long as her friend didn't look at it directly, it wouldn't be too obvious. Chucking the oven mitts and pulling her sleeves down over her hands, she settled back into the world without blood and magic--into the apartment that she shared with her longtime friend.

"I know, I look horrible… I made a batch of stress muffins, though!" She'd let the baked goods speak for how the "family thing" went. It wasn't like she could explain it outright. She was grateful that she had someone like Rayne to check in on her and talk to, but infinitely frustrated that she could never tell her the whole truth.

It was only recently becoming more difficult to keep things vague without attracting suspicion. She'd become more involved in the coven and was participating in more powerful incantations, but luckily hadn't had to give up more than a lob of hair at some point (She twisted the truth and said that her young cousin gave her a botched haircut). However, the result was that she was leaving the "family gatherings" more and more exhausted than before.

Her shoulders relaxed when she looked up to Rayne's familiar shape in the doorway. "Sounds like you had trouble with the door again." She mused, a friendly smirk on her lips. "I don't know how we haven't made you a good copy of the darned thing yet." Though the ruckus of her friend's entry was a great way of signalling when to stop whatever she was doing unless she wanted to be outed as a witch. Perhaps it wasn't coincidental that cutting the key wasn't at the top of her priorities.

Remembering the time, she took to fretting over her. "Oh, here, have a muffin!" She quickly threw the ones from the pan into a large bowl and slid them onto their small dining table. "You must be tired from work, too. Anything exciting happen?"

╚═══*.·:·.☽✧ ✦ ✧☾.·:·.*═══╝​

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[Huntress]

Rayne smiled with a chuckle. "Stress muffins are never a good sign." She commented. "That bad huh?" The question was more rhetorical, as her arms dropped and folded across her chest. Rayne pressed her left shoulder against the door frame, leaning her head against it too as a soft smile remained on her lips. Rayne wasn't quite sure how making muffins de-stressed Francine, if felt like a lot of work and seemed like it would cause more stress, not get rid of it. Regardless, Franny baking was never a good sign.

The raven-haired woman tried to be there and to support her friend, to show her that she had no problems listening, but any time they talked, it felt like Francine was holding back. Like she wasn't getting it all out and off her chest. That wasn't a good thing and Rayne thought that their friendship had been a good one, a strong one even. It had been, well…forever that they'd known each other; it didn't quite make sense to her. Had she done something that had shattered her friend's trust?

"I mean, at least my struggles with the door mean that it's a strong door…" She shrugged and grinned as she laughed at the terrible reasoning she just came up with. "It's not a priority, as long as I can still get into the apartment it doesn't matter. I just hope I don't snap the key in the lock one of these days." Her grin softened. Pushing off the door frame, Rayne dropped her backpack onto the floor for the time being. She'd take it inside later.

"Are you force-feeding me your stress muffins?" She chuckled and pulled her jacket off. Placing it on the back of a chair she grabbed a muffin and took a seat in the darkened dining room, the light from the kitchen seeping out and giving a nice subtle glow to the dining area. "Nothing exciting, no." Rayne spoke between bites. "Come sit." She patted the table. Sniffiling as she ate more of the muffin she swallowed and cleared her throat. "I think it's gonna rain or I'm coming down with something." Her words were casual. "I had a killer migraine at work, mixed in with light-headedness and nausea. Plus, I'm feeling sore all over. Hmph." Rayne closed her eyes and rolled her neck a couple times, some surprisingly loud pops echoing through the room, placing a hand on the back of her neck she scratched at a very subtle itch, the skin beneath her fingers becoming very hot to the touch.

Yawning she covered her mouth and sighed before finishing the muffin and pressing her palm against her forehead. "Do I feel warm to you Fran?" She asked and looked at her friend with tired eyes. "If I'm running a fever, I wouldn't be able to tell by checking myself." The explanation wasn't needed but it was said anyway. "Maybe I'm just tired." She muttered to herself with another sigh.

 

[iris]

╔═══*.·:·.☽✧ ✦ ✧☾.·:·.*═══╗

✦​

Fran laughed, taking a seat next to her friend and eating a muffin herself. It was nice that they could share moments like these, eating and chatting in the comfort of their own home. She nodded quietly as she listened to her friend list off the symptoms that she was experiencing. The look of concern slowly took over her features and was fully displayed before the sounds of Rayne's neck filled the small space. She was never great at hiding her emotions, and now was no exception. "That doesn't sound good." She trailed off as she imagined a sick Rayne.

It had been a while since either of them had gotten sick, and Francine struggled to remember the last time she had checked on the apartment's sickness wards. Upkeep dropped once classes picked up, and that went for the rest of the apartment's wards as well. Admittedly, she wasn't in a hurry to deal with them, either.

"Do you feel warm? Let me see..." she put down the half-eaten muffin and lifted her right hand up to check her own temperature... Completely forgetting herself and the wound, she pressed the sleeved hand to her friend's forehead. There was no way keeping the sleeve over her palm would have been perceived normal in any light, but she continued on, hoping that if she didn't draw attention to it, they could sweep it under the rug.

The feeling was… hot. Way too hot. Alarmingly hot.

"Wow, you're burning up, Rayne. What if you are coming down with something?" She said, taking her hand back and tilting her head to the side. Ironically, her body's own tendency was to run hot. On any other occasion, her assessment would have been pretty accurate. "Might be a good idea to get some rest. I need to get some rest myself." She scoffed when she glanced at the microwave's analogue display. "Maybe have some tea with honey? It should soothe your throat."

╚═══*.·:·.☽✧ ✦ ✧☾.·:·.*═══╝​

 

[Huntress]

Leaning into Franny's hand, Rayne closed her eyes and exhaled with a subtle smile. The touch somehow felt extremely comforting, kind and gentle. Upon realizing that Francine's hand was fluffy soft, Rayne's face scrunched up in confusion as she opened one eye and glanced at her friend. Her honey coloured iris following her friends over sleeved arm. "How can you tell with a sleeve covering your hand Franny?" She raised a brow and pulled back, looking at her friend directly and studying her expression. There was a small sigh, her shoulders visibly dropping as she lowered her head. "I hope I'm not coming down with something." She almost whined. "Ugh…hopefully some sleep will help." Sitting up straight she let out another breath and held her head for a moment. "My throat isn't that sore." Rayne slightly shook her head. Another deep breath was followed by a yawn as she dropped her hand and used both arms to scoop up her hair. Tying it up in a sloppy bun just to get it off her burning skin Rayne fanned herself. "Oof. I'm like nervous hot now…" Her eyes grew wide as she mumbled to herself. "Maybe I should try to sleep." Pushing the chair back, the brunette slowly stood up. "It's pretty late." She pointed at the time on the microwave.

"I'm not saying that your stress baking is a good thing, but, thanks for the yummy muffin Fran." Rayne smiled towards her friend. "I'll see you in the morning." She nodded towards the woman before exiting through the kitchen to grab her backpack from the floor.

Stepping into her room Rayne tossed her bag on the floor and flicked the light on. Taking her shirt off she threw on an oversized athletics tee before unclasping her bra and tossing it onto her computer chair. Slipping her jeans off she put on some sweats and adjusted the pockets before walking to the door to her room, leaving it slightly ajar she flicked the light off and plopped onto her double bed. Star fishing across the entire thing, she sighed heavily with a sniffle and small cough before closing her eyes and snuggling into her pillow and sheets. Sleep didn't take long to come to her.

Darkness was prevalent in her dreams. She couldn't see anything, but she could hear things, confusing and disturbing things. She felt like she was being pursued, the exhaustion was felt in her rapid breaths and racing heart, but still no visual. The hot breath on the back of her neck, the slick feeling of sweat covering every inch of exposed flesh. The chest rumbling growls were terrifying, the bone rattling roars were felt through every fibre of her being. This unknown that stalked her never yielded, never slowed nor stopped. It was an infinite chase within the confines of her mind, or so it felt.

It seemed an end was in sight, a distant light, bright and white. She ran towards it, hoped that it was a means of escaping. The small orb grew brighter and larger until she eventually basked in its warmth, although the sun it was not. Looking up she couldn't make heads or tails of it, taking the opportunity she looked down at her hands and arms, a gasp escaping her as crimson was smeared across olive skin. Studying the stains across her limbs she noticed the light beginning to fade, darkness taking over briefly before the light returned. Its hue was red, an odd spectrum to be looking through. Stepping forward there was a splash, wetness was felt beneath her feet. Looking down she watched the rippling liquid, the glowing orb silhouetting her figure. Kneeling down and closer to the water she watched her eyes shimmer against the moving liquid. Her gaze narrowed as she grew confused, something about her silhouette was different. Two pointed tufts stuck out from her head, like animal ears. Moving closer to the reflection in confusion, she noticed that her form moved independently from the ears. She wanted to utter words of confusion, but they did not come. Instead there was a rumbling growl that turned into a snarl and a roar as she felt searing hot daggers scrape against her back, an incredibly uncomfortable burning sensation on the back of her neck.

Jolting up in bed with a dry gasp that sent her into a coughing fit, Rayne cupped her hand over her mouth. The combination of the dryness mixed with the sensation of something in her mouth made her uncomfortable and nauseous. Had she swallowed a spider? Cockroach? Any sort of nasty bug? The thought alone brought bile up to her throat. Stumbling off her bed she rushed for the bathroom and instantly hugged the toilet. She had been unable to keep it down. After the first heave she lifted the toilet seat and reached for her hair, she had to get it out of the way. Pulling it all to one side another wave come before she could tie it up. Spitting into the toilet bowl, Rayne finally managed to get her hair tied up. Her body was covered in a cold, glistening sweat, and her stomach wasn't looking like it would settle anytime soon.

Emptying the contents of her stomach and coughing out a couple dry heaves at the end, Rayne groaned at the acidity that burned in her throat and the emptiness she felt in her stomach. Barely managing a whistle of air through her insanely congested nose, the raven-haired woman got up slowly, her world wobbling as she did so, ears ringing and feeling like they wanted to pop. Despite numerous yawns they did not. The toilet was flushed as she pulled back the shower curtain, the screeching of the hooks against the rod was startling and painful, Rayne flinching and whimpering against the sound. Turning the hot water on with another sniff and groan Rayne waited for the bathroom to steam up. Making sure the door was shut, she wrapped her arms around her shivering form and sat on the toilet until the steam and temperature in the room was satisfactory. Peeling her sweat drenched clothes off she got in and pulled the curtain shut, slower this time, she didn't want her ears bleeding.

Time didn't exist when Rayne was in the shower. She simply let the hot water pelt her body, it was calming and relaxing and it helped her sinuses clear up momentarily. After her fingers grew wrinkly from the water, she decided it was time to get out. Shutting the water off, she stepped out and wrapped a towel around herself. Still not really looking the greatest, she shuffled into her room. Towel drying herself she changed into an oversized band shirt and sweats, followed by a zip-up hoodie. Putting a pair of fluffy socks on she tied her damp hair up and shuffled along into the kitchen. The sweater was zipped shut but Rayne still shivered. Pulling out the electric kettle she set some water to boil and prepped a mug with some green tea. Leaning against the counter, she lowered her head and massaged her sinuses with a sniffle and a sigh. "Jinxed it." She muttered.

 

[iris]

╔═══*.·:·.☽✧ ✦ ✧☾.·:·.*═══╗

✦​

Francine let out a small laugh at the comment on her sleeve. "Oh, you're right silly me…" She trailed off when Rayne lowered her head, catching a glimpse of something peculiar... Fran could have sworn that it was just a trick of the light until her friend tied her hair up and the full symbol was revealed to her. It was unmistakable. The mark of the familiar. On the back of her friend's neck. Her eyes snapped back to the microwave when Rayne mentioned how late it was. She nodded, trying to contain the confusion she was feeling. A smile made its way to her lips at the praise for her stress muffins. Some of which she now had the urge to make more of all of a sudden. "Of course! What would I do if you weren't here to eat them with me? Hopefully you'll feel better come morning." She watched intently as her roommate disappeared into her room.​

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What had that been?​

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The small symbol on the back of Rayne's neck…? It couldn't…​

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Between the exhaustion and the sheer confusion, it took Fran a few minutes before she was able to take herself to her own room and change into a worn, two-piece pajama set. When she laid her head down to sleep at last, her sleep was continuously interrupted. The symbol on her hand burned, searing hot and restless. It screamed for her to take action, reminding her that the full moon would be soon--that this matter was time sensitive. But she couldn't fully wrap her head around the implications. Was it possible for someone you knew to become your familiar? Someone without supernatural abilities?​

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She smothered her hand under a pillow and stared out of her window for what felt like hours, long enough that she blinked and all of a sudden the night sky was breaking into morning. The birds were chirping and the shower was running. It was just another day. Had it been a dream? Or was the mark of the freaking familiar really on the back of her best friend's neck? She shook her head and laughed. "It's probably fine..." Is what she told herself. "Either way, it's probably fine!"​

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When she finally heard the water stop, she somehow mustered up the motivation to crawl out from under her sheets. Her hand was still throbbing, but the urgency had quieted down. It was as if it had tired itself out. That was until she saw the woman of the hour standing in the kitchen.​

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"Morning!" She chimed, her jaw practically dropping when she took in her friend's state of health. Her intent was to ask what was jinxed, but looking at Rayne, it was clear as day. "Are you okay!?" The question rang redundant against her own ears, but came out before she could think better of it. Rayne's hair was just enough out of the way that Fran could clearly recognize the symbol. The symbol on her own hand ached. This time she was sure. She'd have to get Rayne to a "family event" somehow. And as morbidly opportunistic it may have sounded, the timing of her illness might lend her a hand somehow. She inwardly apologized to her friend before pitching the idea. "You know, one of my cousins is a doctor… If you want, I can call them over or we could visit them to have you checked out?"​

╚═══*.·:·.☽✧ ✦ ✧☾.·:·.*═══╝​

 

[Huntress]

The ear-splitting, irritating and consistent high-pitched squeal that was never ending in her ears grew louder, but at the same time Rayne found herself making a slightly pained face as she was startled by the first explosive thud. The sounds continued as she bared her teeth and hissed an inhale. Swallowing back she clenched her jaw as the thuds seemed to eventually fade. Grunting slightly she sighed against and opened her eyes to look at the kettle. The brunette found herself almost immediately shutting her eyes tightly as everything felt painfully bright. Opening one eye slowly, she felt her cornea burn against the brightness. The scene before her was lit up perfectly, she could see every detail in the objects beneath the cupboards. Opening her other eye, she watched as it got even brighter, as if someone turned up a dimmer. It was confusing to say the least. As her eyes darted back and forth across the items, Rayne found herself slowly standing up straight.

Jumping and crashing into the fridge and some cupboards at the explosive sound of Franny's voice, Rayne looked towards the woman with greater confusion. Francine wasn't one to typically play pranks and jokes, so the fact that it sounded like she had screamed in Rayne's ear was confusing in itself. Upon seeing the woman standing at the entrance to the kitchen, the brunette furrowed her brows and cocked her head to the right slightly. Her thoughts were a jumbled mess as she tried to make sense of something that simply didn't. "I uh-" she cleared her throat. "I've been better." Her voice was raspy, dry-sounding. Swallowing back, Rayne got herself out of the weird position she head put herself in against the fridge and cupboards and moved towards the kettle that had clicked done.

Making her tea with a dash of honey, she stirred it all together. The clanking was like a jackhammer going off in her head. The discomfort showing on her face as she finally exhaled heavily through her nose and looked at Franny. "I think I'll be okay Fran. It's probably just a little cold." She took a sip of her drink. "You know, one of those one-day things that happen every now and then. To make sure your body is working. Thanks though." Her smile was subtle, her chuckle more of an exhale as she finally pushed off the counter and approached the kitchen table. Taking a seat, she took a muffin. "If it persists, I might take you up on that offer though." Blowing on her tea slightly she took a sip and a small bite out of the muffin. Everything tasted extreme and intense, Rayne's mind processing the flavours and somehow able to name every little thing within the mixture. It only seemed to further her headache, a small grunt escaping her.

Her discomfort showed as she stared at the muffin on the table. Clenching and unclenching her jaw almost consistently. "Any plans for today?" She asked before raising her head to look at Francine.

 

[iris]

╔═══*.·:·.☽✧ ✦ ✧☾.·:·.*═══╗

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It was clear that Rayne was having a lot of trouble getting through their morning banter, despite how much she was trying to downplay it. Francine tried not to take it personally when Rayne seemed pained at the sound of her very voice. But she was thankful for the clear sign. Sure beats the guessing game. Francine's first response was thinking about healing and white magic spells that she knew. Even though using any of them would be near impossible with all of her magical energy poured into the familiar's seal.

Regardless, she had to do something to at least lessen her flatmate's suffering. Of course, there were the wards placed around the apartment that she could technically siphon a bit of energy from, as long as she remembered to replenish them when this whole ordeal was through. Or her cousin would do it when she arrived to see Rayne. Hopefully they would hear her thoughts.

Wards scattered around this house,
Absorb my words and their volume douse.
Ears that ached from booming voice,
Now be soothed and rejoice.

She felt a warmth creep up her throat, telling her that something had happened. Then a growing heat from her hand as she approached the kitchen table. The heat was growing stronger, and the voiceless urging of the seal was growing along with it. She wished she understood what it wanted. But just as she thought this, the hand gravitated toward her friend's back. Rayne's mark was glowing now as well. Unable to stop her own body, she gave in and rubbed Rayne on the back.

The seal grew quiet again and the heat dissipated.

The mark on Rayne's nape grew dim.

A bout of anxiety rocked her when she counted the numerous ways the previous spell could have backfired or if her volume was even the thing causing her friend's discomfort in the first place. But considering that the magical familiar seal was on her neck, she'd gamble that this was a fair assumption. If only the seal had just given Rayne a heightened sense of hearing. Unfortunately, they wouldn't know until the ritual was complete. She spoke again, against the fear of actually just sounding like she'd just inhaled helium or squeaking like a literal mouse.

She pulled out her phone and pulled up the other witch's number. "Well, even if it's a little cold, I'll call my cousin anyway. I told her last night that I wanted her to check the plants she left here for me. I didn't have plans for today anyway. This is the perfect excuse."​

╚═══*.·:·.☽✧ ✦ ✧☾.·:·.*═══╝​

 

[Huntress]

Not having noticed the silence that took over, Rayne turned and cradled her head as she sniffled and looked down at her tea. She could feel the tension in her jaw, as she unwillingly clenched it shut. The realization made her stop and relax it some, her whole body following suit, shoulders dropping, her entire form shrinking some. There was heat, uncomfortable heat that rose up from her chest, she could feel it radiating through the collar of her shirt. A sudden pinching itch startled the raven-haired woman. It almost made her whole-body jerk as she quickly reached up to scratch at the burning spot on the back of her neck.

Her nails scraped against her skin until it hurt. Red marks appearing, so as to show the path that her nails had scratched against, the smallest hint of blood appearing on a couple of the markings. The tangy, iron filled scent breaking through every dampened sense and alerting Rayne. The woman's eyes grew wide, mouth dry, nostrils flared as she stopped scratching and brought her hand into view. She couldn't see anything, but her body had somehow alerted her. It had known there was blood. She could smell it, taste it even. Swallowing back she clenched her jaw and cleared her throat before taking a sip of her tea.

The heat returned, this time with a stinging sensation following. As she went to reach for the back of her neck again, Rayne stopped. Looking over her shoulder she spotted Francine standing there. Her hand pressed against Rayne's back. It was a comforting touch, calming, warm yet also cool, as if it was helping against the overheating of Rayne's feverish form. Closing her eyes and leaning into the woman's hand, all Rayne could think about was how she wanted to be closer, for whatever reason. A subtle smile came across her lips as the small moan that escaped her was almost silent.

Feeling Francine pull away Rayne opened her eyes and looked up towards her friend. Her gaze followed the brunette's movement. The only thought she could muster was, that's it?' upon that realization, Rayne looked away from Franny, cheeks growing red, her form growing tense as she just stared at the table, both hands clasped around her mug. 'What do you mean that's it?' She was confused and unsure if she could even answer her own question. Trying to push back her embarrassment, Rayne slowly brought her gaze back up to her friend.

"Oh, uh, okay." Rayne responded. "I guess if it syncs up then it works out." She shrugged, unfazed by the volume of Francine's voice this time around. "I still think it'll go away tonight or tomorrow but if you're so worried about it and you've got a connection for a doctor I won't say no." Rayne chuckled with a wide, pointed grin as she readjusted in her chair. Taking a sip of tea and another bite of the muffin, she looked down at her small breakfast and exhaled slightly. Good thing she didn't have anything planned for today, so at least that worked out.

 

[iris]

╔═══*.·:·.☽✧ ✦ ✧☾.·:·.*═══╗
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"Ok, great!" Francine beamed at Rayne upon receiving her approval, albeit possibly coerced. However, she wasn't going to let this go that easily. "Why wait that long?" She put a hand on the woman's shoulder and nodded. "We'll get to the bottom of this, Raynie." Stepping out for a minute, she made the phone call, stiff with anticipation as the phone rang.

Though she did not have to wait for long. "Allo! This is Aurora!"

"Elder Aurora. This is Francine."

"Oh, Franny!! How are you after the ritual, dear?"

"I-I'm doing fine. Would you mind coming over and seeing my friend--"

"Of course, chou! What's the matter, demonic possession? Missing limbs? Vampire exposure?"

"And well, that's the thing. I'm not really sure. I think… you might want to have a look for yourself?"

"Mmm." Came the distracted response, "This is your apartment building, right, Fran? Forrest Place? Your wards are exhausted, dear. I'll give them a little boost while I'm here."

"Wait, you're here?"

"Yes, well, around the corner. But I- Oh, I see you! Bonjour!"

Francine ended the call immediately. Looking up from her phone, she surveyed the apartment block for the woman's tall figure. She knew Aurora tended to be… rash, but she hadn't expected her to magic herself over in the middle of their phone call! Her heart was ready to beat out of her chest when she spotted the colorfully clothed woman waving and making her way up the steps to their apartment. Magic teleportation aside, how did she walk so damn fast? Luckily the call put Fran in the best place to intercept her before she could knock down their door, guns blazing.

"Elder Aurora!" She squeaked.

"Franny, dear. So nice to see you. We'll get your friend all sorted and your wards refreshed. Difficult having an out-of-commission white magic user, isn't it?"

Running to the door, Fran used her body as a barricade. "Wait, wait! My friend is just a normal person. Not a magic user. She doesn't know anything about magic!"

"Oh," Aurora blinked, innocently. "And she… knows that you're a witch?"

"She does not know about magic. I told her that you were my cousin."

"Oh, Franny… what did you do?"

"Elder Aurora, the seal of the familiar is on her and I have no idea what to do."

"I see… she is… your girlfriend?"

Francine stuttered at the question, flustered, then confused as to why. "She's my best friend."

"A witch with a human best friend… You are playing with fire." She warned. Aurora's demeanor remained as pleasant and bubbly as before, but it was clear that she was taking the situation a bit more seriously. "Where?" She asked after a long, thoughtful pause.

After briefing Aurora on the last twenty-four hours, she nodded impatiently. "Alright, will you let me in already, dear? My arms are killing me!" They both looked down at the bags of healing supplies and food that Aurora was carrying. Heat rose to Fran's face as she quickly reached out for them.

"What is in these!?"

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Frantically bursting through the front door and into the kitchen, she rushed past Rayne and placed the bags on the counter. Taking a breath to collect herself, she managed a breathless introduction. "Um, so, Rayne, this is my cousin Aurora. She was apparently in the area, so she's...here now. Sorry for not giving you more notice." The elder witch, now wearing her business casual and a pair of bright red cat-eye glasses, waved at the woman at the counter. She squinted briefly at the glimpse of the seal.

"Ohh, Rayne? That's a beautiful name! You must be Franny's girlfriend then!"

A loud gasp escaped Fran from behind the kitchen counter and the elder chuckled. "Aurora!!" The heat was returning to her face with a vengeance as she looked at Rayne and tried to do some damage control, "Oh my god, I'm so sorry for her. She's-she's-"

"Sorry, I meant the girl who is your friend, of course. Francine tells me that you aren't feeling very well, do you mind if I take a look?"​

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​

 

[Huntress]

Franny's excitement seemed a little much considering that Rayne just seemed to have some sort of cold. Her chuckle was subtle, she didn't have the energy to emote too much. Feeling the cool touch on her shoulder, the raven-haired woman looked from the hand to her friend. "Get to the bottom of what Franny? It's just a cold, not a mystery." Another small laugh came from her as she shook her head and watched Francine walk off. "What an oddball." She muttered. Drinking the rest of her tea in a few gulps, Rayne pushed her chair back and got up.

Walking back to the counter she poured some more hot water into her mug and added a second bag of tea along with some more honey to it. Taking a quick sip of the fairly hot drink, she lowered the mug and blew on it slightly. A shiver ran down her spine and prickled across her skin. Putting the mug down she walked back to the table to grab the remainder of her muffin. Nibbling at the sweet little treat, Rayne reached the counter once more and leaned against it as she finished up the muffin. Tossing out the garbage under the sink, she turned to reach for her tea.

Freezing in place, Rayne found herself expressing discomfort as she felt her stomach knot and her body tense. There was a small pained sound that escaped her, her left hand clutching at the fabric of her shirt tightly. The tension across her form grew stronger and stronger, until it felt like her muscles had seized. Hearing her stomach gurgle in a rather grotesque manner, Rayne found herself feeling a little nauseous. Taking a deep breath to calm herself, she closed her eyes and exhaled with a whimper. Another sickly sound came from her stomach as she felt it flex and tighten further. It felt as if she was about to spew forth it's contents again. Her grip on the counter had grown tight, dangerously so. Unknown to Rayne, cracks soon began to spread from the points that exerted the most pressure.

As she hunched forward with her eyes tightly shut and teeth bared, she groaned against the unpleasant feeling that was spreading across her body rapidly. Her blood burning through her veins, sweat droplets running down her face and back. A sudden wet sounding snap exploded through her ears, her elbow giving way slightly as Rayne's form unintentionally dropped slightly closer to the sink. Saving herself with a tighter grip against the counter, her left hand moved to also take hold of the laminate top. Her shoulder blade pushed together, almost touching, before her back arched outwards with a slick crack. The shock was evident in her expression as her eyes had grown wide, staring into the sink as she took deep, calming breaths. She could feel her heart racing, beating viciously against her ribs as lava rushed through her veins.

As the door burst open Rayne jumped up and into the counter and cupboards again. Watching the blur of Franny pass by she exhaled loudly in relief and closed her eyes. Her heart still raced as she looked like utter garbage. Her skin had grown a paler, lips dry, hair sticking to her face, the sheen of sweat over every exposed piece of flesh and creating dark spots on her already dark shirt. She was still regaining herself as she finally glanced towards her roommate. Rayne prepared to ask about where her friend had gone but Franny spoke up first. Looking towards the woman that stepped into the kitchen Rayne nodded. "It's a plea-" Before she could finish, Aurora interrupted.

Her eyes widened, jaw dropping slightly in surprise as she looked away from the older woman, Rayne's cheeks beginning to burn a bright red as her heart skipped a beat. Her stomach knotted and fluttered, goosebumps forming across her skin. Dropping her gaze, Rayne found her attention was on the tiles. Girlfriend? She swallowed back at the thought, another shiver coming across her as her skin prickled with embarrassment. As if. Rayne told herself with a scoff, like a pre-teen denying their feelings so they weren't made-fun of. Her arms came up and folded across her chest, amber irises shyly coming to Francine who tried to ensure that her cousin's words weren't misinterpreted. Clenching her jaw, Rayne looked away as Aurora corrected herself. With a question directed at her, the raven-haired woman looked up towards the older woman, her eyes flicking sheepishly towards Franny before she looked at her cousin. "I'm pretty sure it's just one of those two-day colds. I'll be fine tomorrow night. She just insisted on calling you over so" Rayne shrugged. "I told her that I wouldn't mind." Pushing off the counter with a small stumble she approached Aurora and met her gaze. "What do you need to see Doc?" her voice sounded tired and weak, and she was doing her best to stand tall and straight. Better to get this over with now. She told herself to prepare and endure this until it was over, then perhaps she could just lay in bed and let this damn thing blow over. Sniffling slightly, Rayne waited.

 

[iris]

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Aurora nodded, a knowing smile playing at her lips. It wasn't clear to Francine if she was actually listening to what Rayne was saying or if she was more focused on her reactions. The young Dupuis narrowed her eyes at her with suspicion as she went through the bags of perishables now laid out on the kitchen counter. Whole bags of familiar vegetables and herbs. From the looks of it all from her garden. Fran easily had all of these drying in her room, not to mention in her own garden out on the balcony. Was she bringing them somewhere else? Perhaps to help someone else's garden? The presentation was similar to when Fran had first become her apprentice. It wasn't out of character for Aurora to take her time when it came to coven duties. Fran sighed as she rummaged through the fridge for some space to shove the bags in. "Yes, yes, I see." Aurora said after a moment of thought. "A two-day cold!" A delighted laugh. "What a healthy immune system!" She leaned in to Rayne conspiratorially, "You know, Francine would have such terrible colds when she was younger. It wasn't until, ah, puberty until she was able to fight them better."

Puberty? So that's what she was calling the magical awakening now?

Francine was overheating behind the counter as she watched. The look that Rayne shot her before speaking to her elder wasn't sitting well with her. She winced as she watched her stumble forward. Guilt from somehow involving her in this mess was starting well up within her and the feeling sat somewhere in the back of her throat. There really wasn't anything else more that she could do for her, besides try and move things along with Aurora's assessment so that Rayne could get some much-needed rest. "Aurora, please." She pleaded.

"Ouais, come lend me a hand once you sort through those groceries, Fran." The smile on the older witch softened to one more serviceable when she met Rayne's amber gaze. "The young one rushes me, so let's get on with it, shall we?" Ushering her with a gentle hand between her shoulder blades, they made their way to the couch in the adjacent living room area. There, she had Rayne take a seat. Aurora rapped her fingers on her chin as she contemplated the next steps to take. "I suppose I shall take your vitals before anything else."

"You'll probably need this." Francine rushed over and produced a stethoscope. Aurora sent her a wink as she took it.

"Thank you, mon chou. I'll take a listen to your back here, Rayne. Could you turn away from us?" The couch creaked as Rayne did as she asked. Fran felt the uneasiness of the seal once again as the matching mark on her roommate's neck came into view and it only grew stronger as her former mentor continued with her "doctoring". Aurora held her hand out and pointed with the other to the mark on Rayne's skin, pink from when she scratched it before. "I may have something that will help with this, Rayne. Could you pull the bags of groceries out of the fridge?" The request fell short of a command, and the older woman briskly made her way to the kitchen with Fran in tow. Fran always hated the way Aurora would buzz around without telling her what was happening, but she knew that Aurora was smarter than she let on. A little bit of chaos for some help wasn't so bad. Especially when she was at such a loss for how she could help Rayne on her own.

Aurora must have felt Fran's reluctance to comply. "As much as I'd like to look into this further, I think that we should focus on finding some way to soothe the symptoms. Your hand please." Fran put her hand in the one that Aurora held out once again and couldn't hold back the pout.

"...I agree. And I'm sure Rayne-- ow!" It was swift, but the wound from the ritual had been reopened and the knife in Aurora's hand was unmistakable. "Wh-"

"Oh my! What a nasty cut, mon chou. Let me wrap that up for you." The hand was bandaged in a flash and the poultice imbued with her blood was getting beaten into a pulp in the large mortar. "A few herbs, my dear. Strong ones. Can't have it smelling." Like blood. She mouthed. Fran nodded and dug into the bags. Lavender was a must. Rosemary, too. Chamomile for A good night's rest. She'd stop there so that the overall scent didn't get too confused. She handed them off to Aurora who nodded in approval and threw them into the poultice. She had it packed up with the rest of her things with the snap of her fingers. "Aaaand fini! Unfortunately, I have an appointment with the sisters that I've delayed for far too long now." She giggled purposefully. "Now, use this poultice on that place behind her neck. As often as it aches. If my hunch is correct, it should provide some temporary relief. If not, then well… We may need to look into it further." Cupping her hand to amplify her voice, she called out to Rayne as she hurried to the door. "See you later Rayne! It was so nice meeting Franny's girlfriend after so long. Take care of each other, ouais?" And as quickly as she had appeared, she was gone. Fran looked at the poultice in her hands, a strange, wet pile of dirt sitting in clear tupperware. That a remedy so old could be sitting in something so mass produced. The contrast was jarring.

"How are you holding up, Rayne? My cousin can be kind of a... well, a whirlwind."
​

╚═══*.·:·.☽✧ ✦ ✧☾.·:·.*═══╝​

 

[Huntress]

Doing as she was told after taking a seat, Rayne had her head lowered. Her breaths deep so that Aurora could listen in to whatever it was she was trying to figure out. The irritating sting on the back of her neck had returned, her hand reaching up to scratch at it as she heard the other two walk away. It felt like her skin burned even hotter now. Rayne's confusion growing further as she glanced over her shoulder in the direction of the kitchen while scratching at her neck. Stopping herself from scratching it too much, she pulled her hand away and rolled her neck. She felt so stiff. Just everywhere. The pops and snaps were loud, from rolling her neck to her shoulders, Rayne found herself even popping and cracking her wrists and fingers. It was all sore. Clenching and unclenching her jaw she closed her eyes and sighed heavily.

"As much as I'd like to look into this further, I think that we should focus on finding some way to soothe the symptoms. Your hand please."

Rayne's expression scrunched up into one of confusion as she caught their words, distant whispers that were just audible enough to make out. Opening her eyes, she raised her head and tilted it to the right, as if this position would allow for her to hear better. What were they talking about? The raven-haired woman grew curious.

"...I agree. And I'm sure Rayne-- ow! Wh-"

Rayne's brows furrowed, eyes growing wide as she flinched towards the sound of Franny's momentary but genuine pain. Out of some sort of instinct she found herself standing up and coming around the couch to see what was happening, a familiar scent soon somehow wafting into her nose. Blood. The word appeared in her mind, her body heating up, a sudden anger over taking her as she unknowingly growled. "Fra—" Before she could finish her worried question, Aurora was speaking up again. Rayne now leaning over the couch to try and get a look into the kitchen as she narrowed her eyes. The growling had returned and upon realization she stopped and cleared her throat. Was I just growling? She asked herself, shooting one more glance towards the kitchen before taking a seat on the couch. Like an animal? At them? Rayne's eyes grew wide as she stared at the floor trying to make sure she wasn't going mad. Why? What the hell? I don't understand… Her eyes moved left to right consistently as she tried to make sense of it.

"See you later Rayne! It was so nice meeting Franny's girlfriend after so long. Take care of each other, ouais?"

The call out was startling. Rayne snapping out of her internal questioning. Looking towards the small foyer to the apartment she raised a hand and waved with an uncomfortable smile. The redness rising to her cheeks at the use of the word 'girlfriend' again. "Yeah, I'll take care of her." She muttered as she looked back to the floor and cleared away the dryness in her throat. I'll take care of her. The comment echoed in her mind; Rayne was unsure as to why. Managing to push those thoughts aside as an expression of realization came across her features. "…Wait…that's it?" She narrowed her eyes and looked back up towards the door. Aurora had barely checked anything, how had she managed to come to a conclusion just from a few breaths? "Must be a helluva a doctor." Rayne muttered.

"How are you holding up, Rayne? My cousin can be kind of a... well, a whirlwind."

Rayne craned her neck at the sound of Francine's voice, she listened intently. Pushing up off the couch she stumbled slightly as her vision hazed for a moment, the sudden movement not well received by her sick body. "I—" she cleared her throat. "I'm as good as I'm gonna be until this goes away." She smiled briefly with an exhale as she leaned against the wall, arms folded across her chest as she looked at Franny and the Tupperware in her hands. "What's that?" She pointed towards it and moved closer to her friend. Pushing Franny's wrist up to get a better view of the contents, Rayne found herself looking passed whatever was in there and locking eyes with her friend through the plastic. Francine's skin was cool to the touch, but it somehow held a comforting warmth simultaneously, she didn't understand why. It made her skin tingle. Like little static shocks spreading across her fingers. Swallowing back Rayne cleared her throat. "Looks like shit." She commented with a weak chuckle and a brief, fang exposing smile. Letting go of Franny's wrist she reached around her friend for her mug of tea. Rayne's fingers going dead cold and numb for a moment.

Stepping back as she took a sip of her drink, she locked eyes with her friend. "What do you say about just lounging and watching some movies or shows?" Another sip. "I don't think I can really do anything more. I don't even know how I'm standing right now to be honest." She laughed a little.

 

[iris]

╔═══*.·:·.☽✧ ✦ ✧☾.·:·.*═══╗​

A hand came up to her mouth as she outright snorted at the comment. "Like shit!" She repeated, a grin still lingering on her lips. Francine had to give it to Rayne, it did look, in the most polite terms, like caca. Really put things into perspective. "Apparently, we have to smear this shit on that scratch on your--" Francine felt her voice stop at her throat at their sudden proximity. A blush forming on her cheeks before realizing that her friend had only reached around her to retrieve her tea. She fought back a hiccup.

Aurora and her big fat mouth. Did she have to keep calling Rayne her girlfriend? Fran knew she didn't mean anything by it, but her life would be so much easier if her former mentor--cousin--didn't take so much pleasure in causing havoc in her life.

Fran deflated at the suggestion. But the tension came back after some thought. "Gods, you're right, how are you standing up?" She put a hand on Rayne's back and nudged her back to the couch. "But yes, a lounge day would be great. We can figure this poultice later." She pulled a blanket from the back of the couch and threw herself into the pillows, draping one half of it over her shoulders and holding the other half open for Rayne.
​

╚═══*.·:·.☽✧ ✦ ✧☾.·:·.*═══╝​

 

[Huntress]

"Do you really have to put that stuff on me?" She asked as she was led back towards the living room. A part of Rayne wanting to walk as slow as possible just so their closeness, and Franny's magic touch would take longer to come to an end. "Does it smell like shit?" she asked. "Do you even know what it is?" She carried on like a curious child.

Fran let out a hearty laugh at the onslaught. "No, it does not smell like shit, it's supposed to help you get better and I chose the scent with you in mind."

Accepting the invitation to join her friend on the couch, Rayne placed her mug on the table before laying down. Her legs on the opposite end of the couch, her head resting on Francine's lap, her right hand coming up to rest on her friend's thigh. "I hope I'm not contagious." She sniffled. "This hasn't been fun." She turned her head to look up at her friend. "This is okay, yeah?" She asked in regards to her laying with her head in her friend's lap, their eyes locking as Rayne seemed momentarily lost in Franny's dark, chocolatey brown gaze.

Fran shuffled to more comfortably accommodate the head in her lap. Her hand came down to entangle itself in Rayne's raven hair as she started to carefully rake through it with her fingers. "Of course this is okay, Rayne." She said softly, her gaze stuck on her sick friend's amber eyes.

"You pick what we watch. I'm pretty sure I picked last time." Rayne spoke before turning her head to look at the TV. Reaching for the remote she held it up for Francine to take. Which she took and flipped to another rerun of The Princess Bride. Rayne smiled, a small puff of air escaping from her congested nose. The choice wasn't surprising to her.

A shudder spread across Rayne's form and rippled down her shifting spine. The sickly sounds dampened slightly by the blanket, the added noise and music from the movie helping to keep the wet snaps from being heard clearly. Rayne grimaced against the pain but did her best to not make a sound as she adjusted her position on Franny's lap slightly. Snuggling against her friend, Rayne shivered ever so slightly at the sensation of fingers combing through her hair. Goosebumps spreading across her skin, as the shifting vertebrae pushed against her flesh before subsiding. The back of her neck grew hot and itchy again. Reaching back simply out of instinct as she watched the movie, Rayne scratched at the burning patch on her neck.

A long drawn out yawn escaped the raven-haired woman. Sighing she stopped scratching her neck for a brief moment, just to rub her eyes and let out a small exhale. A short sound of content escaped her as she watched the screen which felt uncomfortably bright. Slow blinks eventually began in an attempt to fight weakening eyelids, the pictures from the TV blurring in and out as Rayne's breathing grew steady and calm. She could feel her rapid heartbeat thumping against her chest, but she didn't feel anxious or worried, she felt calm and relaxed.

"—overdrive…" the only word that made it through muttered nonsense. It's just working in overdrive she reassured herself internally. She'd be fine. Her body was simply doing what it was supposed to do in order to fight off this cold. As her consciousness faded, her senses also began to dim. The sickly woman was now sound asleep, as one should be when running a fever. Unfortunately, the dreamless state of floating didn't last long. A ground shaking, deep, throaty snortle startling the woman from her sleep as she practically jumped up from where she had been laying. It had sounded like they were being attacked by something. Looking around in a shocked half-asleep state, Rayne blinked a few times and coughed against the dryness lingering at the back of her mouth. Nothing in their home seemed out of place, She must've been dreaming that something happened. Her eyes eventually came to meet her friend. "Did you hear that or am I just hallucinating from this fever?" She asked Francine. Pushing herself up further, and slowly, Rayne reached for her tea and took a few gulps.

 

[iris]

╔═══*.·:·.☽✧ ✦ ✧☾.·:·.*═══╗​

Francine let out a yelp at the chainsaw snore and Rayne's sudden movement. Dazed from the manner of her waking, she blinked slowly to try and reacquaint herself with her surroundings. She rubbed her eyes as Rayne surveyed the apartment and coughed. Was that snore hers? Did she wake them both up with that sound bit from hell? Fran felt around for her friend before her hand fell on Rayne's back. Stroking the space between her shoulder blades, the woman shook her head. She bit back the laugh. "No, I heard it too. It was probably the storm outside. News said it was going to rain all week."

She maneuvered her legs over the side of the couch before pushing herself up and turning the tv off, still in the middle of the movie. The first run? Or in the middle of another rerun? Whatever the case, it was not as appealing now as it had been before their nap. She picked up the tupperware on the coffee table. Her hand came up to feel Rayne's forehead and furrowed her brows at the warmth. She knew that a nap wouldn't cure a fever, but she was feeling optimistic. "Want me to smear some of this on that thing on your neck? Might help a bit."
​

╚═══*.·:·.☽✧ ✦ ✧☾.·:·.*═══╝​

 

[Huntress]

The raven-haired woman found herself instinctually leaning into the cool hand that pressed against her burning back. Putting her mug down on the coffee table Rayne nodded as she looked towards one of the windows, the already grey day growing darker. She nodded in acceptance of her friend's explanation of the hellish sound that had managed to startle both of them awake. Moving over ever so slightly to allow Francine to readjust on the couch, Rayne sighed and reached over to take another sip of her drink. The tea wasn't doing much in ridding her of the dryness in her mouth. Watching Franny turn off the TV, Rayne took a moment before she turned to look at the other, who had moved closer. Her already warm skin growing hotter as she pulled away. Realizing that Francine was simply checking her temperature, Rayne muttered a sorry and allowed her to proceed. She wasn't quite sure why she had pulled away to begin with. What she did know was that she couldn't deny the fluttering, spine-tingling, sensation that spread across her torso. The confusion coming to life with furrowed brows and a look of uncertainty behind bright amber irises that seemed to be taking a turn towards something a little more wild and dangerous.

"What is even on my neck? Is it a rash?" She shrugged. "I dunno. It's just really itchy and hot." She spoke as she reached up and pressed her fingers against the flaming hot patch of skin. "Is it something that got infected? Is that why I feel like this?" she tried to feel for a bite, cut, scratch or any type of laceration that could've got infected but there was nothing. Letting out a small sigh she shook her head. "Yeah, lemme just grab some water first." Rayne said before getting up slowly. Her senses seemed to decide for themselves when to work so she didn't want to get surprised by some sort of dizzy spell.

Shuffling into the kitchen Rayne opened the cupboard slowly and sluggishly reached for a glass. Pulling it down, her arm grew numb, fingers soon starting to tingle, pins and needles. Trying to put the glass down Rayne found that she could do nothing, she could feel nothing. Staring at her hand gripping the glass she could see her fingers twitching slightly. Her knuckles popped, as she gripped the glass tighter, digits jerking around the cup. Clenching her jaw, she glared at her hand. Why did she have no control? Her arm began to tense, her fingers curling into the glass, nails digging in. The sensation was hair raising as they scraped against the glass with an ear-piercing screech. Whimpering against the sound and wincing as she tightly shut her eyes and looked away, Rayne felt a pop that was followed by the sound of shattering glass.

Gasping she looked at her hand in wide-eyed worry. Glass was scattered across the counter, floor, in the sink and some even stuck to Rayne's skin. Grunting as she slowly unclenched her hand, she exhaled heavily through her nose. It felt as if she had been gripping onto the glass for dear life. Some small pieces of glass falling onto the counter as she gritted her teeth against the tension in her bones. Taking hold of her arm with her left hand, she pulled the practically dead limb into the sink and turned the water on to try and wash away any pieces of glass. Noticing some small cuts and puncture wounds, Rayne clenched and unclenched her jaw. "Stupid…" She muttered to herself.

Feeling eventually returned to her arm and hand. Washing away all the glass, she turned her arm around under the freezing cold water as she clenched and unclenched her fist. Fingers cracking and twitching in a visually disturbing manner, tendons shifting just under the surface. All Rayne could do was stare down with a disturbed look. A loud snap had her wincing as she pulled her arm back and shook it. "Ow…" She muttered as she looked down at her palm, rubbing her fingers together she grew worried with the tingling sensation that soon followed. Sighing heavily, she shook her head. You're not feeling well, you're just overreacting to everything. She told herself. Dropping her head as she leaned onto the counter with a deep sigh, Rayne shook her head slightly before reaching for another glass. Filling it with the painfully cold water, she found herself drinking more than a few cups before placing the empty glass in the sink and turning the water off.

"Okay, I think I'm ready for the shit…" She spoke as she turned around to head for the living room.