Moira only dimly heard Fauna’s concerned voice. She would not throw up. Her eyes were closed in concentration. She would not throw up.

‘Nauseous,’ was too much of a mouthful (she really didn’t want her mouth to be full), to say at the moment to explain that she wasn’t upset. At least, not about anything emotional. Managing a somewhat strained reply she simply said, “Sick.”

---

Some time later, nausea crisis averted, Moira sat on a corner of the couch again. Her legs folded beneath her. She watched the fire and listened as her not-guest moved around putting the soup aware for later consumption. There was no way she was going to risk eating again until tomorrow.

Moira’s eyes drooped with sleepiness and her body felt increasingly heavier as she watched the flames flickering at the wood, almost mesmerized. The exact same thing had happened before Fauna’s arrival. This time, however, she wasn’t mentally ready to go back to sleep.

Blinking a few times to bring herself back, Moira looked away from the flames and to Fauna. Questions flickered through her head. “Aside from being such a nice person, why did you decide to come? I mean, I’m grateful and glad you did but you didn’t have to.”

Fauna sat on the other side of the couch, lulled to contentment by the warmth of the fire, and debating whether it was a good time to head out before it got too late.

At the sudden question, Fauna sat up straighter and stifled a yawn. Moira stayed put on the couch and kept watching the fire, so Fauna didn't think it was a hint to leave.

"Anton brought me soup when I was sick. It seemed like the thing to do," Fauna said sleepily, betting that Moira would remember Fauna's mention of it during their aquarium trip with Anton. But she wasn't really answering Moira's question, and it seemed like the sort of question that Moira would only ask when she was too tired and ill to resist asking.

"And I guess we've all been through a lot lately," she added more thoughtfully. "It makes me feel better to know that we don't have to handle things alone. I'm only going to know that if I reach out," Fauna gave a little shrug and smiled, just a hint of wryness in her tone. If she was having a problem or wanted company to goof off with and commiserate with, she often reached out first in her group of friends. When she was truly struggling, she didn't reach out at all, and then someone - usually Fig - owled her and pestered her to leave the house. It worked well.

Fauna didn't know if Moira had friends like that, besides Abby and Sasha, but since Abby hadn't offered, Fauna had decided to.