Who Takes Care Of You?
Disclaimer: Nope.
Summary: "Oh, Estelle, you've always taken care of us. Who takes care of you?"
[Karol]
Honestly, she doesn't even notice when it happens. It's just, well, she has other things to worry about than the blood running down her arm even though it worsens the grip she keeps on her staff, because Yuri's being chased by a hoard of shark monsters AGAIN, and Estelle doesn't realize that she'd been in pain until she's not, and Karol's watching her with a crooked smile as the healing circle under their feet goes out.
[Judith]
"Estelle, hold on a second."
They're washing dishes by the river and one of Estelle's sleeves rides up, revealing a dark bruise.
"Oh," she says, "I didn't notice." And she hadn't. She'd gotten distracted by Judy herself needing backup and just…hadn't gotten to it.
It seems silly to waste magic on it.
"Here," Judith presses a gel into Estelle's hands when they're dry. "You should have said something."
[Rita]
The world is moving. Or Estelle is, she's not entirely sure. It's like everything's super wavy but she knows it shouldn't be. Except for Rita, whose face is sharp in contrast to the rest of the world that swims.
"Don't use your artes," Rita orders, and Estelle is vaguely aware of a scarf being tied around her head. Which hurts. A lot. "Don't you dare use 'em. Shit. Shit. Shit."
Why would Estelle use her artes? Magic users shouldn't ever do that with a head injury…probably. Or maybe they should? Does Estelle have a head injury? She doesn't remember.
All she knows on that long trip back to meet the others are Rita's harsh, heaving breaths and the warm but trembling arm wrapped around her waist.
[Repede]
Repede wouldn't appear to be Estelle's biggest fan but when she thrashes wildly under the blankets, without fail he leaves Yuri's side to stand over her, four paws and tail outstretched so that when she wakes it's to the royal guard doing exactly what he was trained for.
[Raven]
It's not that Estelle necessarily trusts Raven so much as she understands him, and they both understand that when he takes the time to make the tea and she takes the time to drink it, inhaling the scent of chamomile until she might drown in it, that it's as much for his benefit as it is for hers, and every sip stitches them back just a little closer to being okay.
[Yuri]
Yuri's bleeding out and he knows it. He'll live in the end and it's going to be a close call but none of them know that yet. To Yuri's understanding and increasingly hazy mind, he's probably going to die. He's not…okay with that, of course, but he's accepted it, and finds the strength to run trembling fingers through Estelle's hair.
She's crying, of course she is, but Yuri wishes that she wouldn't.
She tries so hard and runs herself into the ground for them and how does Yuri repay her? This is not a fair trade.
"Oh, Estelle," the words come out reverent and Yuri doesn't want to leave her, he loves her. He's so sorry. So, so sorry. "You've always taken care of us. Who takes care of you?"