Eris entered the living room the next morning to find that Valie had made breakfast again. What an incredible person she was. Although… Eris was worried that her sister might be pushing herself a bit hard. Especially after what happened last night. She could see that Valie was looking more tired than she normally did, and she might even masking.

“So,” Valie said, sounding groggy. She was sitting at her computer. “I was thinking I’ll fill out our report to Michael, and then we’ll see if he has another assignment for us. If not, maybe we could do some training today?”

Yeah. She was pushing herself. Eris sighed, and said, “Nope. I’ll do the report. And we’re taking the day off.”

“Wait—but…”

“You accidentally achieved a Perfect Resonance with a Ley Line yesterday. You could have died. Not that I would have let that happen.” Though she didn’t mean to, Eris raised her voice slightly, her concern showing.

It was a situation she’d been in before. Training a rookie, seeing them locked in place with a terrified expression as Mana overwhelmed them. She knew how to handle it. But it had really hit different when it was Valie. Eris briefly imagined what she would do if her sister had died at that moment, and she… didn’t know. It was too painful to even consider. She pushed the thought away.

“I don’t feel too bad,” Valie was saying.

But Eris shook her head. “Trust me. Having that amount of Mana in you drains you more than you probably realize. A few seconds longer and you could have been bedridden for days. Half a minute, and you’d have become part of the Ley Line.” She wasn’t being metaphorical. She’d never seen someone die that way, but she’d heard stories.

Valie opened her mouth as if to argue, but then closed it. She sighed. “That’s fair,” she eventually said. Then her eyebrows perked up. “You know. Some histories say that certain ancient magecraft organizations would actually sacrifice people to Ley Lines that way.”

“Wait, really? Why?”

“So. Okay, it’s really cool actually. You know how people are basically small Ley Lines? Like their Core and Vessels, at least.”

“I mean… Yeah, I guess.” Even though this was sorta morbid, Eris liked when her sister infodumped to her. She always looked so excited to share. It was one of many things she loved about Valie. Careful, she told herself. She wasn’t doing a very good job of that.

“Well, so yeah. People are basically Ley Lines, especially with like, how they generate a small amount of Mana naturally. And it’s theorized that if someone gets, you know, sucked into a Ley Line by Perfect Resonance, the Mana production of their Core actually gets added to that of the Ley Line.”

“Uh huh… So.” Eris was pretty sure she was following. But she was gonna let Valie explain.

“So over time, if you were to institute regular ritual sacrifices to the same Ley Line, it would get stronger and stronger, providing more and more Mana,” Valie continued.

“Wow. And you’re saying some organizations actually did that?”

“Possibly. I mean it’s super fucked-up obviously, but it’s kinda really interesting.”

Eris smiled and made a “hmh” of assent, nodding. “It is interesting, yeah. Wonder if any modern organizations have tried to do that.”

“Nah. I feel like we’d have heard about that. I mean it would take an awful lot of people. And as far as I know, you can’t just force someone into a Perfect Resonance like that.”

“Fair.”

The two sat there for a minute. Eris realized that she should probably stop looking at Valie. And maybe wipe the stupid grin off her face. Shit. At least her sister was probably too oblivious to notice. Not that Valie would think anything of it if she did. She was kinda innocent about stuff like that.

“So. I’ll fill out that report. And you should figure out something fun to do,” Eris said.

Valie nodded thoughtfully. “Maybe… I mean, if it’s okay. I’ve been meaning to invite a couple of friends over for Smash. You could join, if you wanted.”

Eris couldn’t resist low-hanging fruit like that. “Damn, sis, you want me to smash your friends? Kinda sus.” She raised an eyebrow.

“WHAT? No! Like. Smash the videogame. Like Super Smash Bros! And they’re not that kind of friends, anyway. At least not anymore.” Valerie was bright red, and scrambling.

Anymore? Eris thought. She felt a small pang of jealousy.

Valerie was still panicking. “A-and obviously I’d never involve you in something like that.”

Oh.

That was understandable, of course. They were siblings. Eris had always known that her crush on Valie would never actually go anywhere.

But damn, it hurt to hear it put so plainly.

Eris sighed. “Hey, Valie. It was just a dumb joke. I got what you meant.” She tried to smile.

“… Oh. Oh! Right. Sorry,” Valie apologized.

“Heh. Someday I’ll get you to stop apologizing for things that aren’t your fault.”

“Yeah. Sor—Wait. Shit.”

Eris laughed and smiled, genuinely, at that. “Hey, that’s a start,” she said. Valerie smiled sheepishly in return. Eris continued, “Anyway, yeah. I’d love to smash you and your friends.” She smiled innocently as Valie’s face grew ever redder. Eris laughed out loud. “Sorry, sorry. I meant, I would love to play the hit video game Super Smash Bros. with you and your friends.”

“Fucking… dork,” Valie muttered, looking away.

Well that was dangerous knowledge. In addition to all the other wonderful things about Valie, she was also fun to tease about sex stuff. Eris sighed. Fuck, what the hell was she thinking? She was going to fall for her sister again if she wasn’t careful.

Hell, maybe Eris was going to fall for her even if she was careful. She tried to be optimistic about that. Maybe the best thing to do was just accept her feelings, like she had all those years ago, and figure out the best way to handle them.

Maybe… Maybe there was even a chance that, one day, Valie could feel the same way. That wasn’t realistic. Eris knew that would never happen. And yet, thinking about the possibility made her smile.

“You okay, sis?” Eris snapped out of her reverie to see Valie’s tilted head. Eris also realized she’d been staring at Valie the whole time.

“Yeah! I’m fine. You go ahead and call your friends over. I’ll join you after I’m done this report.”

Valie nodded as Eris headed upstairs to fetch her laptop.

As Eris sat at the dinner table writing, Valie came up the stairs with two people in tow. One was tall and thin, had very long hair with one side shaved, and had a nose stud. They looked quite femme. The other was shorter, and more masc-looking, but in a pretty way.

“This is my sister, Eris. She/her,” she was saying to them. Then she frowned, then looked at Eris. “Actually, I haven’t asked in a while. She/her still?”

Eris raised her eyebrows, then shrugged. “Yeah. She/her is fine for now. I toy with the idea of she/they sometimes, though.”

“We could always try she/they for you, if you want,” said the tall one.

Eris shrugged, smiling back politely. “Thanks. Maybe I’ll take you up on it sometime.”

“So this is Danni. They/them,” said Valerie, gesturing to the tall one. Then she gestured to the shorter, masc one. “And this is Raine. He/they.” From their body language, Eris thought the two were probably a couple.

“Sup,” said Raine, making a peace sign at Eris.

“Hi,” Eris replied, waving at both of them.

“So. You joining us for smash?” Danni gave her a wink.

Valie glared at them. “You better not be hitting on my sister.”

Eris was surprised. That was a lot more forceful than Valie normally talked to people. She almost sounded… jealous? No. She was probably just being protective.

Whatever the reason, it was sorta cute.

Danni laughed it off. “Sorry, sorry,” they said. “But seriously. You’re welcome to play with us.”

Eris nodded. “Sure. Just let me finish this report up.”

As Eris went back to work, the others sat down in front of the TV. Valie took the couch while Danni and Raine scooted up close together on the carpeted floor, closer to the screen. Eris eyed the open spot next to her sister.

As the intro sequence to the game was playing, she impulsively stood up, taking her laptop with her, and sat down right next to Valie. Valie scooted over to make room for her. That was nice of her and all, but not what Eris wanted. Eris moved over even closer in response, her arm pressing against Valie’s. Valie looked down at her questioningly. Eris just smiled a toothy grin in response, then softly bonked her forehead against Valie’s shoulder. Valie chuckled silently, nudging Eris gently as she turned her attention back to the game.

Danni glanced back at the two sisters. If they found the display of affection weird, they made no sign of it. As the others were choosing characters, Danni asked, “so, what’re you working on?”

“Oh… Just a report,” Eris said. She was intentionally vague. It wouldn’t be good to give away too much information about their operations.

“Right, right. Oh that’s right, Val mentioned she was gonna be working for her the Grimmhart family business. Are you both doing that, then?” Danni had turned their attention back to the game, but somehow could still continue the conversation despite the frenzied melee. Raine and Valie were too dialed-in to converse.

“Yeah. We are. We’re working together, actually.”

Danni nodded. “I just… I dunno. I think it’s a shame how capitalistic all the major magecraft organizations are. Hording power and money for themselves, only letting the elites learn magecraft. Wish I could work for an org that’s actually trying to be a change for good, you know?” They paused, and considered. “No offense to your parents or anything.”

Eris snorted bitterly. “They deserve it.”

“I’d love to work for an org that was trying to be a force for good, honestly,” Valie cut in.

Eris sighed. “I kinda would too, but even if an org like that did exist… Our parents wouldn’t let us.”

“Let you? What, are they forcing you to work for them? Ah, fuck,” Raine said as his character got spiked off the screen.

“I mean… It’s complicated. Like…” Eris struggled with how to phrase this in a way that made sense. “Working for them is the last way I have to force them to acknowledge me. To make them actually see my worth.”

The other three settled into a silence, digesting that. The announcer yelled “Game!” over the TV audio.

Valie put a hand on Eris’s thigh, squeezing it comfortingly. Danni spoke up softly. “They don’t acknowledge you? Like at all?" They glanced for a split second at Valie’s hand.

“I mean. Yeah… Not really,” Eris admitted. She squeezed her hands into fists. It was fucking unfair. “I haven’t even seen them since I got back to the States.”

Danni nodded. “Do you really think that it’s… worth having a relationship with them, if that’s how they treat you?”

Eris clenched her teeth. “I mean they’re my parents. It’s not like I have much of a choice.”

“You always have a choice. Even if sometimes both options suck,” Danni said.

“You don’t understand,” Eris snapped. Danni shut their mouth.

“Eris,” said Raine, who was looking at her too now. “Danni hasn’t talked to their parents in six years, because of the shit they’ve put Danni through. If anyone understands, they do.”

Eris looked at Danni again, shaking her head apologetically. “Sorry. I didn’t mean that. I just don’t think I could walk away from them. And, well. It’s not like any benevolent organizations exist anyway. So it’s kinda a moot point.”

Danni nodded slowly. “Well, obviously we’re not gonna force you to do anything. Like I said, you always have a choice. You just have to make the best one for yourself.”

Eris sighed. “Yeah. I guess.” She still thought they didn’t quite understand. Eris needed her parents’ acknowledgement.

Valie squeezed her thigh again, then leaned over and kissed one of her catears. It perked up. “We’ll you build a proper relationship with them. I’m sure we’ll manage it,” Valie said. Eris smiled up at her older sister. At least there was one person who always seemed to understand her. Who cared enough to help her.

Eris looked up into Valie’s kind, warm eyes. Then at her precious smile. At her soft lips. Eris forced herself to look away before she could think too many rash thoughts about those lips. Instead, she quietly said, “Thanks, Valie,” and snuggled up against her sister’s side. The others started another round of Smash.

Eventually, Eris managed to pull her attention back to writing her report.

After Eris finished, she was able to join the others for a few rounds of Smash, though she quickly discovered she was far out-skilled.

After Valie’s friends left, Eris remembered something she needed to take care of.

“Hey, Valie?” she asked. They were still sitting next to each other, arms touching.

“Mm?” responded Valie, looking at her.

“Would you mind maybe helping me do my injection?”

“Injection?” asked Valie, raising her eyebrows.

“Yeah. I switched my E doses from pills to injections.”

“Oh! Yeah, that makes sense. I can help. What do you need help with, exactly?”

Eris shrugged. “I dunno. I mean. It helps to have someone next to me while I do it. For emotional support, I guess,” she explained sheepishly.

“Ohhhh. Yeah. Of course I can do that.” Valie smiled at her. Eris hadn’t doubted she would. But she felt a little embarrassed about asking nonetheless.

Eris motioned up the stairs. “In my room?” she asked.

“Sure.”

Eris grabbed an ice pack from the freezer and headed upstairs. Once up there, she dug through her not-quite-unpacked suitcase for her supplies. Then she hopped onto the bed, sitting up against a pillow, and patted the space next to her to indicate Valie should join.

Valie sat next to her. “Just let me know what you need,” she said. Eris nodded.

Eris’s heart started beating faster. Not because of Valie, this time. Needles made her nervous. She lifted her shirt to start icing her stomach. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught Valie glancing at her exposed belly before pointedly looking in the other direction.

Eris snuck a look at Valie. Her face looked a little red. Was she blushing? Eris didn’t want to get her hopes up, but Valie had definitely been acting a little bit strange around her.

As she iced her stomach, she scooted up against Valie. She’d enjoyed feeling their arms pressed together on the couch, and she wanted more. Valie didn’t try to escape this time.

Eris filled her syringe with estradiol solution. Looking at the needle, her anxiety spiked. Gods, she hated this. Instinctively, she reached for Valie’s hand, intertwining their fingers, squeezing.

Then Eris froze. Had that been too intimate? She glanced at Valie, who looked surprised for a fraction of a second. But then Valie smiled at her and squeezed her hand back. “I’m here for you,” Valie assured her. Eris’s heart melted a little.

That reprieve was short-lived. She braced herself, squeezing Valie’s hand harder as she stabbed the needle into her stomach, feeling the pinch of pain, then pressing the plunger. She clenched her teeth until she’d fully emptied the syringe. Then she pulled it out, and disposed of the needle, sighing with relief.

Valie squeezed her hand again. “Nice job,” she said. “You need any aftercare? Or. Uh. Shit.” Valie’s blushed again. “That’s probably the wrong word to use. But. You get what I mean.”

Eris smirked. “Aftercare” was the term normally used after a kink scene. Maybe Valie wasn’t so innocent after all. She didn’t really need aftercare in this case. But, since Valie was offering…

“Some cuddles would be nice,” Eris suggested. She finished putting away her supplies, and then scooted her back up against Valie. Valie obliged by wrapping an arm around her mid-torso, spooning her, and hugging her close.

Eris sighed happily, her leftover anxiety melted away by the feeling of Valie’s warmth against her back, and Valie’s hand on her ribs.

“Thanks, by the way,” Valie eventually said.

“Hmm? What do you mean? I should be thanking you.”

“Thanks for convincing me to take the day off. You were right, I was exhausted this morning. But I’m feeling a lot better now. Thanks to you.” Valie said the last sentence softly.

Eris smiled, and placed her hand atop the one Valie was holding her with. “Thank you too.”

Eris felt as Valie kissed the back of her head. She snuggled back closer against her big sister, her heart glowing.

The two lay together for a while, cuddled up and comfortable. Eventually, Valie got up, stretching as she did. “Need anything else?” she asked.

“No. I’m good. Thanks,” Eris said.

Valie nodded.

“You wanna train together tomorrow, then?”

Valie smiled. “Yeah. I’d love that.”