ᵗᵃᵍ, ʸᵒᵘ'ʳᵉ ⁱᵗ | peter ballard - discontinued.

chapter six: walkman

Her eyes widened. "Laila?!" She exclaimed happily, tackling her sister into a hug as she was sitting up. Laila chuckled softly and hugged her younger sister, letting out an "oomph"  once Reagan came running over and joined in hugging her tightly. The blonde witch coughed, patting her sister's back, hoping she'd get the hint.

"Can't. Breathe." She whispered into the air, Athena immediately pulling away and observing her in worry. Reagan had also pulled away at that, her teddy back in her arms.

"Are you okay? I'm sorry." Athena quickly apologized, looking at her sister with a nervous look. Laila smiled reassuringly at her and shook her head.

"I'm okay. I was partially kidding," At that, the brunette let out a sigh of relief and collapsed against her sister's side. Laila's eyebrows creased at the state of her sister. Her eyes were shut tightly, her hand gripping her shirt tightly. She looked exhausted. A frown suddenly made its way onto Laila's face as she finally recognized how tired her sisters probably were. The blonde shook Athena softly, trying to awake her carefully.

When it didn't work, she sighed and shook her harder. Athena groaned at the feeling of her eyelids being so heavy.

"What?" She croaked out.

She heard a snort and peeked an eye open, seeing her older sister above her. Athena pulled away from where she slept, realization and embarrassment hitting her at the drool escaping her mouth. Her cheeks flushed as she hurriedly wiped it away with her sleeve, hoping and praying nobody noticed. Thankfully, they didn't. Laila got up from her spot on the floor, groaning at her aching muscles. She twisted and turned her body, satisfying cracks echoing through the room. She practically moaned at the feeling and cracked her neck.

A hand outstretched above her caught Athena's eye as she sat on the floor, probably looking as if she'd fall asleep soon. Athena tiredly grabbed it, allowing herself to be pulled up to her feet. The girl looked at Laila and thanked her, her response a nod.

"Go to bed, you two. I'll clean up," Laila ordered them softly, motioning her head to the stairs. Reagan suddenly walked up to Laila, the latter giving Athena a confused look who just shrugged. Two arms wrapped around her waist, a face buried deep in her soft grey shirr. Laila's heart swelled and she smiled widely, hugging Reagan's small body, and patting her head gently. She ruffled her hair after a few moments of silence, pulling away. The blonde knelt to her level, staring her in the eye.

She tried to look intimidating as she narrowed her eyes at Reagan, who simply giggled. Her composure broke as she laughed quietly.

"Go upstairs and get some rest," She ordered Reagan, glaring at her playfully. The girl nodded and walked upstairs with her Teddy. Laila looked around the room for Athena.

She was slumped on the white couch, earning a quiet laugh from Laila. Her eyebrows furrowed as she rounded the couch, looking at Athena's body that lay down horizontally on the couch. A blanket was wrapped around her feet, her hands brought up to cushion her head. Her lips pursed, and Laila moved forward to enclose her hands around the sheet, tugging it upward to cover the rest of Athena's body. The blonde girl smoothed the red, colorful blanket out before walking away to the kitchen.

Athena's eyes snapped open as she glanced around her without moving a muscle. She slowly got up from the couch, desperately trying to not make a noise. Her head slowly peeked over the couch, locating the back of Laila in the kitchen. Her sister unexpectedly turned around, making her instantly duck under the cover.

Athena stayed in her spot for a few minutes until she was sure she could get up. The brunette gradually put a foot on the carpet, carefully planning how to get up the stairs without making a disturbance. She needed to get her music so she could go to sleep. Music always helped block out her thoughts at night, hence why she always had her walkman in arms reach.

Her foot touched the wooden floor finally, a wince escaping her when it screeched slightly. Her hazel eyes immediately snapped up to her sister, who was thankfully, still making something in the kitchen. After a few pregnant, tense, moments of walking to the stairs, she made it to the bottom step.

Her foot made contact with the harsh wood, making her flinch from the cold. The girl skipped up the stairs softly, tiptoeing down the long corridor. Athena's shoulder made contact with a painting she had touched when she felt around her, for it was too dark for her to walk straight.

A throat clearing behind her caught her attention. A sigh escaped her as she slowly turned around, coming face to face with Laila who had her arms crossed.

"And where do you think you're going?" She asked her younger sister, an eyebrow lifted.

Athena looked around her, thinking. "I- was uh- was going to get a better blanket! Yeah. I was going to get a better blanket," She admitted falsely, giving her sister a reassuring smile that was clearly fake. Laila raised an eyebrow, a look on her face that was clearly sarcastic.

"Oh, yeah. Sure,"

The brunette girl gave her sister another fake smile and turned around, ready to walk away.

"Wait," Laila called out to her, making her turn back around quickly.

"Are you having nightmares?" She suddenly asked her. Athena furrowed her eyebrows in confusion.

"No..?"

Laila seemed relieved, letting out a sigh of relief. "Okay, good. You can go back to sleep now." Athena slowly nodded and walked back in the direction of her room.

Grabbing her walkman, she headed back downstairs, noticing the lights were off. She settled herself on the couch, cuddling up to the pillow and wrapping the blanket tightly around her. She pressed play on her playlist, "Aint No Mountain High Enough" echoing in her mind as she drifted off into the darkness.

a/n: FINALLY A HAPPY CHAPTER omg