Concussions, Reunions, and Ice Cream

[The_Soul_of_Kia]

That...was unexpected. Valerie apologized, they made eye contact for the first time since she came in the room, and apologized.

During those few seconds of eye contact, Rails face blushed bright red, feeling...childish, and ashamed. This was hardly the first time they they'd done this. Where Valerie was blunt, dry humored, and at least seemed unsympathetic, Rail had always been more...sensitive, emotional...defensive, often getting his feelings hurt in their arguments, and in other things she sometimes did like in this case, though these events were never intentional.


He wondered at times, though he never had the courage to ask, if she resented him to any degree. Their mothers coddled him too much, showing him more favor than they had her when she was an only child, and he had been a bit...clingy in his youth, depending on Valerie for protection, advice...companionship. He couldn't really blame her for wanting a career separate from him as a result.

But...regardless...they always made up in the end. There was affection, good times. Unity.

Her question got a smile out the teen, testing his body by moving his head. It still throbbed, but the ache had dulled enough. He'd probably be prescribed painkillers...maybe he had some of his edibles left...

"Heh. No need, I can walk. Heads still throbbing, but it's dulling." He groaned aloud. "Ughhh...it's gonna be a long night. First Moms are gonna read me the riot act and give me a concussion test, then I gotta sew a patch in my leotard from that damn chop. That fabric was not cheap either. Moms said it counted as two years of birthdays and Christmas when I got it."

Ace said casually, trying to change the topic as he got off the cot he was laid on, testing his body. Satisfied he would be alright with the minor aches, he grabbed his clothes, using his gown to cover himself as he got dressed, thrn joined Valerie by the door, suddenly leaning into the bigger woman and giving her a small, tired, hug.

"...I'm sorry, you were right. I'll do better."

[BlackAkuma]

Well, at least that bomb was defused—a small victory that Valerie was happy to take. Family drama was always a pain, but she knew it would only be worse now that they were both officially wrestlers. It was a landmine in her path, but that didn’t mean she had to step on it today.

”I might be able to salvage it when we get back home.” She looked over at what was left of his ring outfit, still trying to figure out how Angela had managed to slice through the damned thing. She’d seen some hellish chop, but none that hit so hard as to do that kind of damage. If she hit that hard, he was lucky that he’d been wearing the protection. If not, he might’ve been in the infirmary for a longer stay. ”Though I’m not confident about it, I won’t lie.”

She did her best not to chuckle as he took care to change under his gown, keeping it to a small smile. He could’ve just stripped it off and pulled everything on, it wasn’t as if it would be the first time she’d seen him naked. Come to think of it, there was a good chance she - and millions of others - would see him nude quite a few times in the upcoming months for various reasons, few of which she wanted to contemplate. But she kept those thoughts to herself, in the interest of peace.

Valerie was about to head out with him, when Garfield leaned on her, hitting her with a rush of memories. They’d been here before, so many times - her showing up to help him out of a jam, to fight off a bully, to pick him up and dust him off. Something’s never changed, did they?

”It’s…it’s okay.” She hesitated at first, but her better nature won out and her arm went over his shoulder to pull him in tight. ”Come on, let’s go.”