Where Old Muses Gather

Staring at the little girl whose head rested in her lap, her small chest rising and falling with each breath. . .she felt pure terror.

Not wanting to move an inch less she wake her, disturb her rest. Here was something so defenceless trusting her- her blood covered hands- to keep her safe while she slept.

There was an amused snicker behind her on the couch and she gave a quick glance, wide eyed at the woman standing there.

“She won't bite you know” A voice softer than her own reached her ears, light and clearly amused at the emotions obvious on Grace's face

“She's so small” her own voice in comparison was barely a whisper, flicking back down to the girl and back again “Why in the world?”

“She likes you” Jess said simply, moving to lean against the back of the couch and reaching down, she brushed some hair from her cousin's face, tucking it behind her ear. Smiling soft at the contented sigh that escaped the girl at the motion. “You made quite the impression with your Hunter stories”

“That's all?” Incredulous, Grace shot her a look and Jess simply shrugged in return

“You forget how easily delighted children are” she replied before pointing at Mia “Large family young children adore adults that truly pay attention to them. Mia especially, she tends to cling once she likes you”

'Ask me how I know' hung unsaid in the air.

Jess was Mia's favourite older cousin and the two often hung around one another at family parties and gatherings when Mia's father couldn't make it. Jess easily matching the quieter girl's energy and guiding her through conversations with older relatives, laying the groundwork for being able to vanish out of that annoying uncle's verbal grasp and make it think it was his idea or slipping away when their gaggle of older cousins cooed about future partners without being noticed.

Things Jess wished someone had taught her to navigate at Mia's age.

Grace had been invited along upon Amelia's insistence. The Deepspace Hunter having rescued her a few months back, it had started an smooth friendship and really, being able to invite people along to these things sort of came with the territory of marrying into it.

Amelia and Scott had vanished the moment they'd all arrived and Jess had taken pity on the poor stranger and pulled her in to hang out with her and the younger kids. Who had been enraptured by all her stories of heroics and assignments.

Mia especially who had dreamed of being a Knight since she was old enough to walk and was dismayed to realise it wasn't a career the modern world needed.

The idea she could try to become a Deepspace Hunter, someone who protected against monsters, had clearly struck a chord.

She'd asked for story after story after story, wide bright pleading eyes and clasped hands following each. Grace had given in, she had no defences for children.

When Grace had vanished off inside for a moment to rest, Mia had followed. Which is how they found themselves here.

Grace terrified.

Mia asleep

Jess endlessly amused.

“I can carry her upstairs?” the offer was met with quick head shakes and Jess snorted.

“I don't want to wake her”

“She sleeps pretty heavily, her dad snores like a pig”

“Still”

Jess just shrugged and Grace turned her attention back down to Mia, who true to her word, hadn't stirred once as they'd spoken.

The two women just existed there, the only sound was Mia's quiet breathing. In and out, in and out. Rise of the chest, fall of the chest, once, twice, then again.

Grace tried to imagine herself in Mia's shoes. A young girl, trusting of strangers, curious enough about stories and hungry enough to know more to want to follow them into rooms and settle. Trusting them to keep her safe.

The only two people she ever felt safe with growing up had been Caleb and her Gran. Everyone else? Not so much.

Zayne -she supposed- would have been the exception but then again he also just. . .left. As a child that had hurt. As an adult, it was water under the bridge. She'd fought against his want to keep distance and planned to keep chipping away at his resistance until they were as close as they were as children.

She was stubborn like that.

Or determined she supposed. Both?

Perhaps both.

Snapping back into the moment, she froze up again as Mia stretched, mumbling something quietly in a language she didn't recognise before settling back down. The piece of hair Jess had secured behind an ear falling back over her face.

“χαζά“ Jess laughed quietly, shoulders barely shaking and Grace shot her a look “Stupid”

“What?” Grace slow blinked at her and Jess raised an eyebrow before seemingly remembering something, understanding flooding her face.

“It's what I said. Stupid” Jess clarified, nodding at Mia “She was mumbling dreaming nonsense, it was stupid funny stuff.”

“In. . .what?”

“Greek”

“Oh” the word was less spoken more breathed out, that's why she hadn't known. She had never heard Greek spoken before. “That makes sense”

“Mmhmm” Jess hummed, giving a glance over her shoulder back outside into the backyard before she straightened up and stretched “Alright well. Unless you want to wake her, you are gonna be here for a bit. She had a rough night last night. Better get settled in”

The last part was said as a tease, Jess's tone light and teasing again.

“Guess I'm here then” Grace said, looking back at Mia. Head tilted slightly. Her heart rate had slowed by this point and she felt like she could at least breathe. It was slow progress.

“Give me a shout if you need anything. I'll grab you a snack” Jess promised before vanishing off, not waiting for a reply.

“Sure thanks” Grace muttered to a now quiet room, sighing softly. Her eyes traced Mia's gentle features, light blonde hair, round cheeks, small nose. Still growing.

It was a nice reminder of another reason why she did what she did. Fighting Wanderers, getting rid of threats to Humanity at large.

Children deserved to grow up in a world that was kind to them, safe.

Her hand unclenched and slowly moved from her side, mirroring Jess's move from earlier, she lightly brushed that stubborn strand back behind Mia's ear. A soft smile gracing her face.

“I feel it” She admitted, giving a one armed shrug before wincing slightly as her body oh so kindly reminded her she had bruises building on that side “Ow”

“You Hunters need to be more careful” The words were scolding but the tone was caring and Grace sighed softly

“Careful doesn't get Wanderers killed and civilians rescued, Careful means Casualties”

“You need to be on some kind of probation with that line of thinking missy” Arina reached over the counter and tapped her on the forehead “And in therapy”

“I need therapy for other things, don't get it twisted” Grace corrected, a ghost of a smile passing across her face “Now coffee please?”

“One Lavender Latte and one Grape Jelly Cake coming right up” Arina said, inputting her order before sliding a brown box towards her that had a slot cut in the top “Payment system is on the fritz, cash only”

“That's fine” Grace reached into her pocket and pulled out some coins, counting out enough for her order before dropping them into the box “Will it be fixed soon?”

“Oh probably” The older woman shrugged before turning around and getting started on the latte “Knowing Wilson he's already working on it”

“It's in good hands then” Grace nodded, tucking her wallet away again “That man is magic with tech”

“He really is”

The conversation died down after that point and Grace amused herself with slowly looking around, not that much changed at their main location. Still the same light furniture, still the same warm LED lighting, blankets still folded neatly on a table tucked away for requested borrowing. A constant.

It was calming. Having somewhere that was the same every time.

Nothing else in her life stayed such.

A sigh escaped her and she turned to lean her back against the counter, arms loosely crossing over her stomach.

Life had been far too hectic recently and if she hadn't been in the middle of an investigation, she would have put in a time off notice. She needed a few days break, out of the city preferably but who knew how that would end up.

The city might just explode if she left.

Wasn't that a fun thought?

Being pulled out of her musings by a tap on the shoulder, she gave a glance and perked up seeing a slice of grape flavoured jelly cake. It was very cheesecake inspired, soft and sweet. It was quite frankly one of her favourite things on the planet.

Then again, it was grape flavoured so she was already extremely biased.

“Thank you” Grabbing the plate and the offered spoon, the first bite was put into her mouth and she hummed in delight. A small little body wiggle quickly following. “It's so good~”

“Only the best of the best here~” Arina said laughing softly, gazing at her with amusement before turning back around “Have a seat dear, I'll bring this over to you when it's done”

“Mhm~” she hummed before making her way over to her usual window chair. Folding herself into it, her legs crossed and she sighed happily, resting the plate on her lap. Her body silently cheering at the sweet relief of finally being able to sit. She had been up and moving around all day.

Training to a Wanderer appearance to report taking to heading back to HQ only to get pulled into a conversation with Captain Jenna to then being asked if she would escort a group to the hospital. She had had a pretty packed full day and it still technically wasn't over.

Still not a waste, she supposed, she got some good intel from the hospital group so she couldn't complain really.

Well she could but not out loud.

Half the slice was gone by the time Arina brought her latte over and Grace flashed her a smile in thanks before having a sip, the warmth chasing off the last of her tension.

With quiet music now floating through the air, the scent of lavender in her nose and the taste in her mouth. She could finally relax and just be in the moment.