Devilish Uncertainty

“Gaaah!” She cried out grumpily, twisting her face away from whatever it was that was smothering her. Sleep started to close in around her again the moment she got free, but the moment wasn’t long enough to actually drift very far. The intruder found her face again, pressing uncomfortably into it. “Alright! Alright! I’m getting up!” She whined, exerting her entire strength to push the invader away so that she could sit up and see what was happening. Laniwyn’s foot had been mashed into her face to awaken her. Her elven friend loomed above her, looking down with a critical expression on her face.

‘You awake?’ The deaf elf’s hand flickered in a graceful display of sign language. No doubt she’d have seen Lin’qa whining about the fact that the elf’s foot was in her face, but wouldn’t have actually heard her declaration of wakefulness.

‘Yes,’ She signed back as she sat up, a sour expression on her face.

‘Good. Get up, you’re gonna work a half-shift in the kitchen today.’ Laniwyn withdrew her foot and as soon as she finished signing, placed her hands on her hips.

‘The Kitchen? Laniwyn I haven’t worked in the kitchen since—’ She stopped. “Since Momma got sick” was the second half of that sentence, but she couldn’t bring herself to sign it. Instead, she just looked away so that she wouldn't have to see what her friend was signing to her. She heard the elf move, but didn’t see what she was doing until a hand on her face roughly dragged her gaze back to her.

‘Lin, I’m really worried about you. It’s fine to grieve but you’ve been moping about for two months now. You need to do something. Anything. Today it’s gonna be working a half-shift in the kitchen with me, so get your cute ass out of bed.’ Laniwyn glowered at her as her hands signed rapidly. She always signed more quickly when she was agitated, and after a few decades of friendship, Lin’qa’s ability to read rapid signing had improved drastically.

‘Maybe another day, Laniwyn, I don’t—’ “Owwww! What the fuuuuck!” She squealed as Laniwyn grabbed her by the ears and pulled her upwards, forcing her onto her feet, her vocal whine literally falling on deaf ears. Laniwyn shoved her towards her closet and glared at her.

‘Get dressed. Or be naked, I don’t care, but you’re coming with me.’

It wasn’t until two hours later, as Lin’qa was chopping some celery, that she realized she actually was feeling better. It had been a bit distressing when the only person in the kitchen that she recognized other than Laniwyn had been this Orcess named Hezlu who used to wash dishes for them. She was the sous-chef now, and s he’d warmly greeted Lin’qa with a crushing hug.

“You gonna be with us more often again, Kitty?” Hezlu asked during their break, before it was time to get into full swing preparations for the evening meal.

“I dunno... And, uhh… can I ask you to call me Lin’qa? Or just Lin is fine.” She mumbled as she tasted the rice dish Laniwyn was working on. It was amazing, of course. Laniwyn was… really amazing.

“Heyyyy, Lin, don’t cry,&#

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