Iris and Kiera - Nap
Doing twelve write-ups a day was a strain on Iris' tolerance for language, as well as her wrist. She set the pen down over a half-finished draft for the parents of a girl who, like her, was diagnosed with verbal apraxia because of a tumor. The girl's parents were showing the early signs of trying to 'discipline' the words out of her, something Iris felt so compelled to intervene on she'd taken her work home with her.
Of course, the entire other person nuzzling her was a persistent distraction.
Kiera was sat behind Iris, arms wrapped around her and pressed flush against her back. When she'd gotten home, her sister had been in a particularly affectionate mood, so they pulled up one of the big recliners as Iris got to work.
"Almost done?" Kiera asked.
Iris sighed and set her pen and clipboard down, nodding.
"Great!" Kiera said, pulling Iris back and laying them both against the recliner. "Your hours at work are getting longer."
Iris smiled and bounced her eyebrows.
"Still, that can't be good for you," Kiera said. "I know you don't actually like the whiteboard or sign language."
Iris shrugged, then arched a brow at her sister.
"Okay, I guess I'm just not used to not having the majority of your time," Kiera sighed, pressing a finger to Iris' nose.
Iris silently giggled.
"Larisa's right, I am a simp."
Iris patted her cheek.
"Can't help it. My big sister's so cool. Bigshot child psychologist, lobbyist, has a law named after her," Kiera beamed. "Who wouldn't want to sing your praises?"
Iris arched a brow.
"They're just bitchy they had to give more funding to mental health," Kiera scoffed. "Pissing them off is the virtue."
Iris nodded.
Kiera reached up and laid a hand on Iris' cheek. "I mean it. I'm proud of you."
Iris smiled and nuzzled Kiera's hand.
After a moment, Kiera pulled away and sat up. "Hey, remember Caliga Lake?"
Iris sat up as well. She did remember that, in fact. Caliga Lake was a lake so large it had it's own beach. The only time they'd ever gone there was when they were nine and ten. Kiera, still learning to swim, had run afoul of some older children who threw her off the dock and into the water. She'd have been a goner if Iris hadn't dove in to get her.
She nodded and tilted her head, and Kiera wrapped her arms around her shoulders and pulled her in close, pressing their foreheads together.
"Just thinking about how lucky I am."
Iris smiled and kissed Kiera's forehead, before slumping against her with a content exhale.
"You look tired." Kiera gave her a gentle squeeze. "Wanna take a nap?"
Iris nodded, and Kiera laid them both back against the recliner. Iris curled up in her sister's arms and laid her head against her shoulder, the weariness of so many patients and so many reports making her entire body feel like it was made of lead.
Kiera ran her fingers through Iris' hair and watched her drift off to sleep. Soon enough, the desire for a good nap overtook her as well and the two were softly dozing. An hour later, Larisa would find them and drape a blanket over them. And despite their intention to only take a short nap, they would wake up at five in the morning.
