TW/CW!: cutting, dark subject matter and such! please read with caution!
"Thank you, for letting me stay here for the next few days. it really helps shorten the commute!" Isabelle Cuckoo smiled widely as she embraced Miss Peregrine.
"It's no trouble really, I enjoy having you
around!" The Peregrine reached down, trying to grab the quite light suit case but failing. an odd look befell her face.
"Oh don't worry Al I got it." miss Cuckoo lifted it, leading it upstairs. miss Peregrine, however, found it quite weird that she couldn't lift it. She brushed it off however. So? She was weak. She knew the reason behind it, but she didnt much feel like giving it much thought.
"Ahh, your house always is so clean and beautiful Alma, these flowers, they are just stunning! You didn't need to get me flowers!" Miss Cuckoo turned around to Miss Peregrine who was resting on the doorframe. the Cuckoo could have swore for one second she caught a glimpse of pure exahustion in her emerald eyes.
"Well, every single time I go to the market, I see them and think of you." miss Peregrine smiled kindly at miss Cuckoo. "They are truly beautiful flowers. "Well, I must go tend to the preparations for dinner. You may join me, or Venture as you please." Miss Peregrine turned, walking away rather quickly.
"I will be joining you down there in just one minute." Isabelle called back. After a quick change into something much more formal, her favorite velvet blue dress that just brushed her knees, with her matching blue blazer and new shiny heels, The silver haired woman promptly made her way down to the hall to join the other Ymbryne.
"Alma?"
"Yes?"
"Oh heres the kitchen." Miss Cuckoo stepped in, admiring how clean it was. Her eyes danced around the room, finally landing on the other woman, who was shivering like a wet dog while cutting up vegtables
"Why are you shaking? Are you that cold? Here." she placed her Blazer on the Peregrines shoulders.
"O-oh...Thank you!!" Alma felt her cheeks go red. Burying herself into her work of cutting vegtables so the woman standing across from her didnt catch a glimpse.
"Ma Cheri." Isabelle continued studying Alma. She was shaky, and her hair was ever so slightly askew. The dullness in her fierce green eyes bled onto her pale face, except for her cheeks. Her cheeks were red as a tomato. She had seen Miss Peregrine like this before, and it was never had quite the good ending. "Is she blushing or Burning up?" Isabelle asked herself mentally.
She was not particularly sure what exactly prompted her to do it, but there she was, standing behind the falcon, one hand on a quite confused Alma's shoulder, the other reaching around to touch her forehead.
"Belle, what may I ask has gotten into you?" Alma snapped out as the other woman rolled her eyes, not taking it personally.
"Definetly sick, Alma never quite snaps unless she is Ill." miss Cuckoo thought as the Peregrine turned around, her hands sliding to her hips.
"You are quite warm, Alma!" she exclaimed, Isabelle could feel the heat gushing off of the falcon right before she felt her arm being jerked back as it made contact with skin.
"Stop I'm fine!" Miss Peregrine shook the cuckoos hand off. Her chopping got quicker, each cut more haphazardly chopped than the last.
"Miss Peregrine." Miss Cuckoo raised her voice, then placed her hand on Miss Peregrines shoulder, but suddenly heard a quite real yelp of pain.
"Ahh!" the pale woman grabbed at her arm, digging her nails into the skin around the cut in an attempt to try and stop the stinging Pain.
"Oh dear!" Isabelle rushed over but was lightly shooed her away.
"I am fine miss Cuckoo. why dont you go back to your room. I will send for you when dinner is done."Miss peregrines words dripped with a mix of anger and pain as she placed the arm behind her back.
"Let me see it Al. You of all people don't yelp when it is a mere cut." Miss Cuckoo's heels clacked amongst the tile as she took another step towards Alma.
"I'm fine. go away." Miss P put the knife down, took a step back, then turned away, readying herself to make a break for the door.
"Alma, you must let me take a look. I promise I wont hurt you!"
"I've heard that one before." Alma sneered, her mind fading into an odd abyss of darkness, almost like a dream, well, nightmare really.
"Just come here! I'm not letting you go-!" the silver haired woman was taken aback as a sudden force ran past her, but miss Cuckoo's reflexes were faster than her thought process as she grabbed Alma's wrist which proved to be a terrible mistake.
Without even a moment to think, miss Cuckoo was pinned to the wall, the falcon's Green eyes staring dagger into her soul while she mumbled an odd strangle of words. only one sentence was clear.
"Stay away from me Jack."
"Alma...Al please let me go I'm not Jack!" Miss Cuckoo cried out, glimmery tears dripping down her cheeks as She tried to free herself from miss Peregrine's death grip. every passing second felt like it was an hour long as she dangled in the air like a ragdoll
"MISS PEREGRINE WHAT ARE YOU DOING??!" Enoch ran over quickly, reaching to grab his headmistresses arm, but he didn't have to as she suddenly just let Miss Cuckoo down.
"What...Isabelle...?" miss Peregrine felt her mind snap back into reality as she turned quickly on her heels, her shoes almost making her slide into the door frame as she rushed out. a sudden slam of a door upstairs alerted the two to what had happened. Enoch, was unfazed, but Isabelle was shaken to say the least. The woman that she loved had just snapped into a terrfiying shell of herself right before her eyes. What even happened?
"Miss, are you alright?" Enoch asked.
"Y-Yeah. don't, dont worry. I'll finish dinner, well, its already finished. I'll get it into bowls and served. please, go collect the other children." Isabelle said softly, dissmissing him.
"Are you sure?" Enoch felt compelled to ask. He wanted to now if an altercation had occured between the two.
"Yes. Please, go get the other children." miss Cuckoo's french accent sounded rougher than before, as if she was trying to hold back tears. Miss cuckoo watched Enoch leave in an shuffled, awkward manner. Isabelle rushed to serve the dinner, then quickly made her way out and back up to her room before any of the kids could see her. as soon as her door closed, she felt her back slide down the door, tears flowing down her cheeks.
"What even just happened?" She wiped some of her signature shimmery makeup off in vain, as it smeared down her face as she rubbed her eyes. Her head softly laid on her knees, crying herself to sleep.
" It's already dark out?" Miss Cuckoo lifted her head off her knees for the first time in hours. How long had she been sitting there? She had no idea.
"2:47 am." She read off her watch that still remained in her pocket. Miss Cuckoo braced the wall as she stood up, dusting her dress off and rubbing her eye "I need some water." She said outloud to know one as she cleared her throat.
peaking out her door into the darkening hallway, seeing the coast was clear, Isabelle stepped out of her room and made her way to the kitchen. "So far so good." Miss Cuckoo quickly left down her guard, it seemed no one was awake.
until she ran smack first into a figure she didnt even notice, knocking the person over. Both fell to the floor.
"Im so sorry what kid are you?!-" Miss Cuckoo went to grab the child's arm, but when she gripped it, the figure yelped
"A-alma?" Miss Cuckoo felt her heart stop. This was exactly who she didnt want to run into, and here she was, on the floor with her.
"N-no go back to your, wherever you were going!" the Figure tried to dash off, but fell again in the dark hallway. Miss Cuckoo knew it was Alma just by her gentle voice. Miss Peregrine stood up oddly off balance from her second fall stumbling a tad bit
Watching Miss Cuckoo felt a strange pang in her heart. She felt as if she shouldn't just be standing there, watching Alma brace the wall for support in the pale moonlight.
She also felt a strange warmmess in the hand she had used to grab Alma. She had to move her hand into the moonlight, which was patchy due to the storms, but the red which coated her left hand couldn't be mistaken. "Blood?" Miss Cuckoo felt her own blood run cold as she examined the liquid, then glanced up to the figure still leaning on the wall. "Alma...are you alright?" Isabelle felt akward asking the question, but it still needed to be asked.
"Y-yes just yeah, I'm fine. Sorry for walking into you!" Miss Peregrine tried to rush away, hoping to make it back to her room and sit her way through the pain, but the hallway was spinning like a merry go round.
"Well..." Miss Cuckoo trailed off. "You don't seem okay." She awkwardly walked toward the falcon, Who in turn tried to back away, but ended up falling down again. Miss Cuckoo towered over the woman shaking on the ground.
Miss Peregrine could have admired how the moonlight of September 2nd made Miss Cuckoo look stunning, but now the only thing that was on her mind was escape from the situation. Why was she even still there? Miss Peregrine thought for sure she would have fled after what happened. She felt positively terrible for what had occurred. Isabelle was someone she admired, loved, and cared for most. the fact that she had snapped like that terriffied her. Alma never had anyone else around when she lost control or when she slid into a state like that.
"Im Fine." Alma growled, her barrier going back up glanced down at her legs, coated in her white nightgown. Suddenly, the moonlight in front of her dissapeared as Miss Cuckoo bent down.
"Don't lie to me." Miss Cuckoo whispered, Wiping a stray tear off of her friend's trembling cheek.
"You didnt properly care for your wound did you?" Miss Cuckoo felt herself slipping from a cautious on edge mood into a caring one as she gingerly reached out and took Alma's trembling arm cautiously. The moonlight didnt give much to work with, but the cuckoo could see the dried blood smeared around it. "Must have cut herself badly." she thought. "C'mon, lets get you patched up." Miss cuckoo found it much less straining to lift her than she thought it would be, but Alma struggled a little.
"Okay. I got the first aid kit, im going to try not to hurt you. but I cannot gruantee anything." She flicked on the bathroom light then placed Miss Peegrine on the rim of the porcelain bathtub. "Let me see the cut now that we are in better light." Miss Cuckoo kneeled down, then watched as Miss Peregrine quickly placed the arm behind her back without saying a word.
"Alma, I'm not playing this game. Give me your arm. You are injured, and its just going to get worse if I dont properly take care of it. Give me." Miss Cuckoo was not sure what made her try to sound authorative, but it kind of worked.
Alma gave her the arm, but made sure to slide her sleve down over it.
"A Sleeve isnt going to Stop me." Isabelle smiled as she lifted it up, to Alma's Elbow, then froze at the sight.
"What...Oh gosh.." Isabelle could have easily dropped the Peregrine's cold arm. The cut itself wasn't what much scared Miss Cuckoo. it was more the multiple white scars that laced the arm, even a few fresher looking scabs dashed her arm.
"Alma..."Miss Cuckoo felt tears forming in Her eyes, her heart breaking for Alma. Miss Peregrine suddnely felt herself being hugged tightly, much to her shock
"Alma are you cutting again? Alma please tell me, please!" Miss Cuckoo's took Alma's shouldler.
"Not so loud please." Miss Peregrine whispered.
" You need to tell me all that is going on." Isabelle suddenly felt anger building in her heart. Why was Alma suffering yet again? the silver haired woman feared she already the answer.
"I'm sorry that I snapped at you. I didn't mean to, I'm so sorry Honey..." Alma tried to make sure not to make eye contact with The crying woman.
"Alma I don't care about that right now. I care about the fact that you have cuts that are new!" Miss Cuckoo forced Miss Peregrine to look her in the eyes.
"Why?" Miss Cuckoo asked. Alma looked down, taking a few deep breaths. Miss Cuckoo already knew the answer. it was him. He already caused her so much pain, why did he have to continue haunting her?
"It isnt fair.." Miss Cuckoo pulled Miss Peregrine closer to her chest, sliding down the wall to the floor. The falcon didnt struggle to leave the warm embrace for once though.
"I-I'm so tired belle." Miss Peregrine leaned against her. "I'm tired of everything." she felt her eyes slipping shut.
"I have to contact the council about-" Miss Cuckoo started, but was suddenly caught off guard as Alma sat up, eyes wide and frantic
"No! Belle, they will take away my children! I can't! please!" Alma felt pathetic. Here she was, supposed to be a strong, independent Ymbryne reduced to a woman crying on her bathroom floor.
Even if she felt pathetic begging, Miss Peregrine would do anything in her power to make sure that her beloved children remained in her care.
Miss Cuckoo remained silent for a little bit. What was she thinking? Miss P didn't know, but it probably wasn't good. She was probably going to report her. But, on the other hand, she felt Miss Cuckoo wouldn't do something like that, Would she?
"Will you let me watch over you? Will you let me make you an Therapy appointment Without the council's knowledge?" miss Cuckoo finally spoke up. Miss Peregrine sat up slowly from her chest, confusion being fuelled by tiredness. "Will you let me basically be your overseer on your health? no one will know, just me and you. I care about you to much to let you slip. I love you Al. I want to see you get help!" Miss Cuckoo wasnt even sure she heard her. she was about to repeat herself again until,
"Yes." softly echoed off the bathroom walls. Miss Peregrine looked away as miss Cuckoo couldn't contain her smile. She was finally going to fet the help she needed desperately.
"can I please...go to sleep now?" Alma asked shyly, like a child asking for an extra piece of candy.
"Oh yes of course! just let me finish patching you up." miss Cuckoo quickly disinfected the wound (much to Alma's discomfort) then wound it with gauze gently.
"Where did you leave to do this so well?" Alma leaned her head against the wall as Miss Cuckoo was putting the supplies away.
"Oh, Miss Raven taught me. Very nice Ymbryne from America. Stayed with her for a little bit, and she taught me how to patch Union soilders from the American Civil war. Believe it or not" the Cuckoo shut the case quickly. "I was a battlefield nurse."
miss Peregrine suddenly felt herself being lifted. It was terrfiying at first, her arms reached out to grab something to steady herself but her heart stopped pounding as she realized it was just Miss Cuckoo lifting her. "Didn't realize you were this strong." She mumbled, trying to get down. She wasnt cappable of walking, and she was boudn to prove that.
"Where is your bedroom? I positively cannot remember." Miss Cuckoo exclaimed in a whisper, her silver hair gleaming in the moonlight.
"I can walk myself thank you!" Alma continued struggled to be put down, but in already tired and weak state, it wasn't much of a fight.
"Well, sense you won't tell me, im just going to open the door labeled Miss Peregrine with Childrens drawings on it, and assume this room is yours."
"Dang it." Alma watched her white ceiling passing until she was on her bed for the first time in almost a month. the dusty quilt cradled her and made it quite hard for her to keep her green eyes open. But she couldn't go to sleep. She truly thought for a brief moment she could
actually sleep safley, boy was she wrong. He was there though. He always was
"I-I have to go I can't do this!." Alma shot up quickly, terrified to even be in her bed.
"No." Miss Cuckoo sighed, standing up next to the bed, then sitting down this was a bold move to make especially when this wasn't her. room, but here she was, wrapping her arms around the shaking Peregrine.
"Don't worry Alma. I'm here. I'll protect you." she laid back with her, pulling the quilt around both of them. Miss Peregrine struggled to sit up, but the woman holding her kept her grip tight. After 10 minutes, Miss Peregrine had virtually no strength to even continue the losing battle with her.
When Miss Cuckoo noticed Alma drifting off, to weak to continue, she finally settled down, adjusting herself to be more comfortable, then kissed The Peregrine's head. "Sweet dreams, ma Cheri. I love you"
expect a new chapter up very soon, I wrote like 4 chapters simultaneously:) thanks for reading.