Romancing the Pain - Part 7
Title: Romancing the Pain
Rating: PG-13
Pairing: Pepa/Silvia
Summary: Post episode 104 as well as my last fic, Come Back to Me. It’s basically its sequel; the events that occur after Silvia was released from the hospital.
A/N: I think that the only consolation prize for being confined to my damn bed is that I get to haul my laptop up here with me. I'm not even going to begin on the stupid liquids diet I'm being put on. *pulls disgusted face* Damn sickness. I hate being sick. Being sick sucks ass. But here's the next chapter for y'all. If there's typos or inconsistencies I apologize. I was typing through a haze of whatever it is that's clogged up my sinuses and my brain.
ROMANCING THE PAIN - Part 7
Sara fought to catch up with her aunt. The redhead walked paces in front of her, back ramrod straight, boots stomping purposefully against the ground. Silvia’s posture positively screamed at the world to back the hell off. It was a sight Sara was not accustomed to and it hurt the girl to acknowledge that her aunt had cut herself off from everyone. She sent a silent prayer to whomever was listening that her grandfather was having an easier time with Pepa and jogged up to her aunt, grasping Silvia’s elbow to slow down her angry steps.
Silvia did not appreciate the sudden contact. She whirled around, pinning Sara with a stern glance. “What are we doing here, Sara?” She gestured a hand at her surroundings, her clipped tone demanding an explanation.
Sara blew a lock of hair away from her face, a little frightened at the coldness emanating from Silvia’s eyes. It was like being drenched in ice water and part of Sara wanted to shy away from her aunt, something she never thought she would feel. Instead, she gritted her teeth and steeled her nerves.
“Papa said he and mama brought me here for my first picnic.” She glanced at the park, taking in the children laughing and playing at the playground, families spread out on a blanket, various scrumptious foods laid out in front of them, other children feeding ducks in the pond or flying kites. It soothed Sara’s aching heart to see people taking in the simple pleasures of life and sharing it with people they loved. She returned her steady gaze back at her aunt. “You and Pepa came along too.”
Silvia jerked her head stiffly, crossing her arms defensively against her chest. “So?”
Sara resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Instead, she tugged at the elbow she was still holding onto. “Tell me about that day, Silvia.” She turned pleading eyes up to the redhead, widening them to project a look of childlike innocence.
Silvia ground her teeth together, not wanting to take the little trip down memory lane. She did not want to be here at all, did not want the sights, sounds of life to fill her eyes, and ears. However, she knew it would be futile to leave so she drew in a deep breath and closed her eyes, sifting her painful memories and emotions aside. She parted them like a curtain, carefully gathering them up and storing them away for later usage as she mentally wandered through her mind, seeking out the particular memory Sara asked for.
************
Pepa lay flat on her back, hands behind her head as she stared up at the clear blue skies, a sullen expression plastered firmly on her face. She had not wanted to come on this little family outing but it was a far better alternative than staying at home and listening to another one of her parents’ fights.
“Pe-pa! Pa!”
Pepa turned her head, a goofy grin pulling at her lips despite her surly mood. She watched as her niece waddled up to her, plopping down firmly onto her stomach. She giggled as the weight of Sara momentarily knocked the wind out of her before reaching down to hook her hands under Sara’s arms, bringing the toddler to sit properly on her stomach.
“Hola, sobrina,” Pepa cooed. She jiggled the girl up and down; causing a litany of giggles to escape from the toddler’s smiling mouth. She sat up slightly, resting Sara’s back against her thighs. “How are you, guapa?”
In response, Sara reached up and grabbed a fistful of Pepa’s dark hair, tugging fiercely, causing the tall girl to wince and Sara to laugh loudly, big, dark eyes twinkling with mirth. “Hey now,” Pepa injected, wrestling the girl’s hand off her hair. She dropped a tiny kiss onto Sara’s head as the girl pouted. “You don’t pull people’s hair, sobrina. It hurts!”
“I think she got that from Lola.”
Pepa glanced up as a shadow fell over her and her eyes ran smack into Silvia’s smiling ones. Pepa bestowed a crooked grin at her sister in law, one that she reserved solely for the redhead. “Hola, princesa. You’re late.”
Silvia dropped down beside Pepa, kissing Pepa’s cheek shyly before running an affectionate hand over Sara’s head. “Papa was running late.” She rolled her eyes as Pepa laughed.
“Bia! Bia!” Sara cried out, stretching out her arms in Silvia’s direction.
Silvia chuckled and reached for the girl, gently extracting her from Pepa’s strong arms. She chucked the toddler under the chin, pressing an adoring kiss to a chubby cheek. “Hola, sobrina.” She lifted Sara up and down. “Boy you’re getting heavy.”
The girl giggled and tried to grab at a lock of Silvia’s wavy red hair, but Pepa tucked it behind Silvia’s ear, grinning at her sister in law when Silvia turned a thankful look in her direction. Silvia settled the bouncing toddler on her lap, cooing nonsensical words to her niece.
Sara looked back and forth between Pepa and Silvia, a grin stretching wide across her face. “Pe-pa! Bia!”
Pepa laughed loudly at Sara’s abbreviated versions of their names. She scooted closer to Silvia, tracing a lone finger down her niece’s cheek. “We need to teach this kid how to say our names properly.”
Silvia chortled and fell back onto her back, lifting the giggly girl high into the air. “But it’s so cute the way she says it.”
Pepa joined Silvia onto the blanket, lying down next to her sister in law. “True. But ok, we should try to expand her vocabulary.”
“Pepa, Silvia. Come and eat lunch.” Lola’s voice floated over to them.
Pepa sat back up and held out her arms for Sara. “Give her here, pelirroja. I’ll take her.”
Silvia relinquished her hold on her niece, smiling contently at the sight of Pepa, tough, moody Pepa, looking so happy and peaceful with Sara in her arms. She took the proffered hand the brunette held out and allowed herself to be hauled onto her feet. Together the trio made their way to Lola and Paco.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“You two had enough to eat?” Lola asked as she continued to feed Sara. The toddler was blowing bits of food out of her mouth, streaking her lips and chin with dribbles of mashed potato and carrots.
Both girls nodded. “Si. Gracias, Lola,” they said in unison.
Paco gestured a hand at the park. “You can go play if you want.”
Pepa shook her head. “Can we take Sara for a walk after Lola finishes feeding her?” She turned to look at Silvia, who nodded in agreement, eyes lighting up at the prospect.
Paco’s eyes crinkled as he smiled down at his little sister. “Claro que si, hermana.”
Apparently Sara liked the idea too because she began to squirm in her mother’s arms, pushing the spoon away with one stubborn fist. “Walk,” the toddler demanded. “Bia, Pa, walk!”
Lola rolled her eyes and set her child down but keeping her in place long enough to clean food off Sara’s face. She watched affectionately as Sara stumbled over to Pepa, arms outstretched.
“Up!” Sara commanded.
Pepa chuckled and did as told, allowing the toddler to lock her arms around her neck. She stood up to her full height and tossed Lola and Paco a droll glance. “Your daughter is very pushy.”
Lola smiled. “Maybe if you didn’t spoil her so much, she wouldn’t be.”
Silvia stood up next to Pepa. “We’ll be back soon. Vale?”
Lola nodded. “Don’t wander too far though.”
~~~~~~~~~~
“She’s getting sleepy, Pepa,” Silvia whispered, watching Sara chase the birds halfheartedly. She leaned back against her sister in law, who for some reason had taken to wrapping her arms around her from behind. Not that Silvia minded. She loved it when Pepa was feeling affectionate and always felt safe and warm in her arms.
Pepa nodded against the untamed auburn hair, unable to resist breathing in the scent of Silvia’s shampoo. Strawberries. She committed the scent to burn deep into her memories, unsure why she was doing so but deciding not to dwell too much on the subject. “Que si, princesa,” Pepa replied softly. “Time to take her back, no?”
Silvia responded by calling out the toddler’s name. Sara turned, bequeathing them with a sleepy smile that tugged at both their heartstrings. She walked slowly over to her embracing aunts and wrapped herself around Silvia’s leg, nuzzling the material of her jeans against her cheek, yawning widely.
Silvia gently untangled herself from Pepa, reaching down to pick up her niece, who immediately wrapped her arms around Silvia’s neck, tucking her head against Silvia’s shoulder, another yawn escaping her. “Time for a nap, sobrina,” Silvia murmured into her niece’s ear as she palmed her hand soothingly up and down the toddler’s back.
Pepa smoothed back Sara’s hair, marveling at its softness, her action softening the features of her face. She leaned down to kiss the top of Sara’s head then sought out Silvia’s gaze. “C’mon let’s go.”
Silvia smiled and nodded, following Pepa out of the small clearing and back to Paco and Lola.
***********
Silvia was thrown rudely back to the present as a bird screeched overhead. She glanced at her surrounding with a puzzled expression before realizing where she was. She sighed and tugged a hand through her unruly hair, tossing some behind her shoulder as she looked at her niece. “That’s it basically. By the time we got back to your mom and dad you were dead to the world and drooling on my shoulder.”
Sara giggled at the image. “Gracias, tita,” Sara said, reaching up to press a kiss to Silvia’s cheek, frowning as Silvia flinched despite herself. Sara sighed but backed away slightly, giving her aunt the space she so obviously wanted. “I would have paid to see sullen, moody, “I’m so tough” Pepa chase after a toddler though.” Sara continued, laughing slightly and was delighted when Silvia cracked a small smile at her.
“She was very protective of you,” Silvia replied softly, her eyes glazing over slightly as she remembered that day, so clearly cherishing the memory. Then she abruptly shook her head, clearing her thoughts. She closed the door on her emotions. “It’s getting hot and crowded here, Sara. Let’s go to the mall or something instead.”
And with that, she started up her angry walk, leaving Sara to be momentarily smacked upside in the head with her aunt’s sudden change in attitude before the girl ran after her, wondering if anything she or anyone else did would break through to Silvia.