CH904 Thera’s Perspective

“You doing alright back there, Mora?” Thera asked the child she was carrying on her back, getting a mumbled reply.

“Kind of.”

“You know, if things got too intense for you, you can always slip out of that. Can’t feel sick if you don’t have a stomach.”

“No, if I’m going to use this then I need to keep using it to see if it works. I just wasn’t prepared for something so…”

“Bloody?”

“Smelly,” The boy gagged, thinking back not to the sight of one patient’s large intestine hanging out of a gouge in their side but instead the odour that filled the room when it ruptured, spilling its contents before any healer could have helped. “Why are bodies so disgusting?”

“Just a part of being alive. And speaking of them, how long are you planning on staying in yours?”

“Depends, how long until it’s going to reach adulthood?”

“Well, from what Ben’s told me, his people are considered adults at eighteen and succubi are at seventeen, but both of those are more cultural than anything else as far as I know. Plus, since you used me to make it, I’m not sure how much my spirit heritage is going to come into play but your body might basically stop aging when you’re done puberty, which, well, is going to be a whole other experience for you if you’re planning on sticking out through it.”

“Then I’m going to try to make sure I use it for eight years without completely leaving. If I can put up with it and age with it then that should be enough to let me know whether or not thinking with a mortal brain will help me mature.”

“You really don’t need to worry so much about that, you know?”

“No, I do. If I can’t grow then I might not be able to mature and if I can’t do that then I might make a big mistake again.”

Thera sighed, reaching back to rub his head as she carried him. “You would already be considered mature for a ten year old, sweetheart, let alone someone less than one and even if it does help you grow a bit, you’re not going to stop making mistakes just because you got older. You can trust me on that.”

“But it’s better than not trying.”

“I’m not going to stop you but tell me, have you been enjoying it?”

“…Most of it.”

There were parts Mora didn’t like about living as a mortal. From the more unsavoury sensory experiences to the few instances of pain he’d gone through, with stubbing his toe one night already making for a vivid memory, and that wasn’t even mentioning chores like eating and sleeping. And yet, through all of that, there were contrasting pleasures too. Pain was dreadful but a gentler touch was so much richer, eating was a hassle but food was delicious, and sleeping was a waste of time but waking up well rested after a long day was a whole other pleasure. Even if there were parts he didn’t like, the good outweighed the bad to the point that he was planning on sticking with it to prove whether or not it would help him grow and change in the way he’d hoped.

“Well, most of it is probably how all of us mortals feel about it too,” Thera laughed. “And for what it’s worth, it’s nice that you’re able to share meals with us now.”

“It has been.”

Not that he’d be enjoying anything again so soon. The conversation had helped distract him a bit but less than she’d hoped, getting to hear him hold in his groans by her ear as they finally made it home, finding another figure already waiting outside with a pout on her face.

“Abel, you didn’t go off with Ben?”

“Mmh, church stuff sounded boring so he asked me to walk Delair home instead and she wanted to play while I was there.”

“And I take it you lost?” Thera asked, seeing right through the other girl’s expression from the defeats she’d suffered within their own household, even if her pout only deepened.

“Don’t wanna talk about it.”

“Alright, well I’ll let you in already, come on.”

She took the middle of the couch, letting Mora curl up on one end beside her to rest his head in her lap while she comforted him, Abel giving the scene a questioning look that Thera answered before she could ask.

“A bad day at the hospital,” She said, keeping it brief. “Which means we’re also going to have to properly consider if you’re still going to come out with me for these things.”

“Do people get used to dealing with gross smells?” He mumbled.

The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

“They can.”

“Then I’ll keep going.”

Mmh, not sure how I feel about that answer but it’s normally the sights I’d be worried about traumatizing a child and he seems completely fine with that.

“Alright then,” She gave in. “But if you start feeling bad for any reason when we’re at one or if you change your mind, just let me know. You can start staying with Ben or else spend time with our family, it won’t be a problem.”

“Mmh, okay.”

Good, which just leaves Abel.

A far harder subject to deal with. Thera didn’t dislike the girl despite their first meeting having some red flags to it. She largely saw her as Ben did, someone awkward, strange, and maybe a bit emotionally stunted but an otherwise positive and friendly person. Considering how she knew others viewed herself, she couldn’t exactly judge, at least not entirely. There were admittedly a few aspects of the spooky eyeless girl she couldn’t so easily get past but the bigger problem was how to go about treating her.