[ dec / open ] what even is the point of december without christmas presents?

[princessvegas]

WHO: Julie + others
WHAT: December catchall
WHERE: Places
WHEN: December
WARNINGS: Language, etc. Specific cws in subject headings.

[ ooc: dec catchall, starters in comments, bitchcraft or bitchcraft#2753 to plot. ]

Comments

[princessvegas]

Okay.

[ Her brow is furrowed, and she closes her eyes, sighs heavily, but it's not a frustrated sigh. It's more like she's trying to draw up the conviction to believe she can make it work. She doesn't really feel much more confident, but she does feel slightly calmer as she breathes, focuses on that rhythm and nothing else.

She's never been someone who can easily clear her mind. There's probably a psychiatric textbook's worth of reasons why, but the point remains that she has never been prone to calm concentration. It hasn't gotten any easier in Abraxas, where she constantly senses magic on the fringes of her consciousness, but sitting here, she manages to make herself think of nothing before she imagines just Nadine's hands from before. The little ball of fire, how it flickered and moved. Nothing above her wrists. Just a tiny flame, that's all she has to do. Like a candle.

There's another breath and her face knits further. Without realizing she's even doing it, her hands raise slightly, palms faced outward like she is actually trying to push magic around instead of grabbing it. Nothing appears in front of them.

Instead, a few feet from her face, the air sparks like a firecracker, then individual flames lick into existence, twining themselves together until they form almost a little fountain of fire. It spits tiny flares and embers into the air, lighting her face up orange and red.

Her hands shake and she's perspiring. She lets out a strained whimper and the fire abruptly extinguishes when she drops backward to the bed, panting. It's a struggle to even open her eyes again. ]

[nadine_he_loves]

[Nadine stifles a sound at the first little spark, not wanting to startle Julie out of whatever she's stumbled into. But there's no mistaking the fall of glinting sparks that appear as anything but the other woman's magic.]

You did it!

[At some cost of exertion, but still. Nadine puts a hand on Julie's shoulder, squeezing gently in support and delight. That's probably enough for today, she doesn't want to push Julie too hard, and it's clear that this victory has taken a toll. But it's a success! And so quickly...She honestly hadn't expected so clear results so quickly. It may not be particularly controlled, but that's not the point right now. Control will come later.]

Whatever you're doing...you're on the right path. That was all you, Julie. You just take it easy, I'll get you a drink.

[Water to start with, something stronger if Julie prefers.]

[princessvegas]

[ In just those few minutes, Julie feels as bone-weary as if she had spent the entire day doing hard labor in the sun. It's even deeper and heavier than how exhausted she'd been after the Halloween party, when she was so tired that she slept through murderous ghosts or zombies or whatever. She hadn't known it would take that level of energy; for some reason, she'd imagined that doing magic would be as simple as just thinking or saying certain words. Instead, it was like reining a stubborn horse, requiring every shred of strength she could muster.

Nadine is talking but it's hard to make sense of what she's actually saying. Julie just nods and mumbles affirmatively, still trying to catch her breath and will herself to stay awake long enough for the drink. She is parched. ]

[nadine_he_loves]

[Nadine is gone only briefly, returning with a mug of water and a pitcher to refill it. She sits back down on the edge of the bed and sets the pitcher aside for the moment.]

Here, have some water. And then rest. It takes a lot, when you're just starting out. I'll stick around a little while, in case you need anything. Just ask.

[Something to eat, another pillow, whatever. Julie needs to take it easy after exerting all that she did. But...you could only use up energy you had. That it took this much out of her indicates, to Nadine at least, a vast reservoir of power. That shower of embers had been larger and stronger than anything she'd been able to do at the start...

But it's something to bring up later.]

[princessvegas]

[ By the time Nadine gets back, Julie has dozed off. The sound of someone else in the room stirs her back to the edge of consciousness. The water is even more incentive to open her eyes, and she takes the mug to gulp down the water like she's been in the sun for hours. She doesn't stop until it's drained, and she sits up slightly to try and unlace her bodice.

Her hands are so shaky that she can't do it. Her fingers fumble at the laces. ]

I just... I just need a nap. I'm okay.

[nadine_he_loves]

I'll still be here if you need anything. Just take it easy, here, let me get those.

[Nadine moves Julie's hands away gently and takes over undoing her laces. She makes short work of it, plucking with practiced ease at the lacing, well used to the local kirtle style garments at this point. She doesn't even think about it, it's just natural to help when Julie's clearly exhausted and drained from her efforts.]

Alright, let's get you comfortable.

[With a reassuring smile, Nadine adjusts the pillows and gestures for Julie to shift so she can pull back the first layer of bedding for the younger woman to settle herself in properly.]

[princessvegas]

[ If she had even a little more energy, she would protest, struggle for independence. As it is, she feels like she's swaying with the effort to sit upright, and it's so much easier to just let Nadine play mother hen. Her arms drop and all she can do is sit there. The covers are pulled back and Julie just sort of falls into the pillows, chemise bunched around her thighs, already half asleep. She claims she needs a nap, but it's likely she'll be out until morning.

Her voice is muffled by the pillowcase when she remembers to say something, faintly mumbling. ]

Thanks Nadine.