melodiesoflife | 003 Arrows of Love

Entry tags:

003 Arrows of Love | Sleeping Beauty

Who: Raven & Others
What: It's nice no longer being stuck in an eternal stasis.
Where: Hospital, House A-10, Aqures Ixen (Various)
When: Feb 7th
Warnings: Raven.

[ Hospital ]

Just as easily as it happened, Raven easily came out of Crystal Stasis. Though it was disorientating considering the amount of time that passed since he was last conscious. Furthermore, he awoke to a strange illustration. Due to the contents of the drawing, there was only one person guilty of this style.

"Hm, what a nice girl." Surely she was doing okay. Raven held the piece of art loosely in his fingers.

Raven took a glance at the others whom were still stuck in stasis, the number was still alarming, it looked like it might have grown even. Then it caught him, a familiar face.

Estelle.

There was no basis to judge how long she had been in there. None of the other members appeared to be around, meaning they were still around and active.

[ House A-10 (Open door! ~~or Window~~) ]

And he was home, at least it seemed like he was, until he walked into his room. Upon opening the door, he discovered an arrangement different then how he left it. You could even say it was more decorative, and not nearly has plain as he had kept it since he arrived here. His suspicions were quickly narrowed to the only person who had made any mention about his room. The most notable piece was the lavender rug that took up the middle of the room. He didn't hate it, but it would be a bit of a stretch to say he liked most of the changes that had occurred.

[ Aqures Ixen (Various) ]

Raven couldn't say he was happy to be back, but it was hell of a lot better than being stuck in a crystal. To celebrate his awakening, Raven could be found at the local bar where he used gil not spent on some hard liquor. Why? Well...why not? Despite not having any side effects of being frozen for so long, the thought of remaining in place for more than a month made his bones feel still. There was no better way to loosen up than with alcohol.

He's certain that Yuri would probably want to see him at some point, and he would have to catch up on what he was unconscious for, but he wasn't in any rush to do so. Like clockwork, he would find himself preoccupied doing some work or another that needed to get done. Just was the life of a guildee.

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"The entire world?" That wasn't covered in Raven's file. It was surprising enough that she lifted her chin off of her knuckles to look at him, both surprised and concerned. How could anyone choose to save one life, if it meant the rest of the world including that one life would surely die?

And yet, they'd found a way, hadn't they? She was starting to understand Yuri's stubbornness a little more now.

"Hmm..." Her brow furrowed thoughtfully as she steepled her fingers against her mouth. "I suppose that's why he was so persistent, then."

But that was how Yuri felt about it. She wasn't sure what Raven thought about the situation. "It wasn't just the Calamity that could be stopped. There were other things I could have changed as well. Lives I could have restored." She hesitated. "...Even those who never set foot on Crystallis. It could have helped a lot of the people I care about."

Raven gave her a glance at the first comment. He was convinced something big must have gone down. Why else would she hold such grim feelings? He was glad he didn't experience it, but at the same time he wasn't.

"Are ya convinced that's the only way ta stop it?" Raven would get straight to questioning her disposition. It wasn't a joking manner, and if she was being truthful about it, he needed to know. Raven would tack it onto his list of things to do. Researching alternatives just like the gang had did before back in his world.

"It isn't yer burden alone ta right."

It wasn't even theirs to begin with. Raven was still unconvinced about saving the world in the previous life. The were far too many variables to factor and no way to prove any them.

"No, it's not the only way. But it was at least a solution where no one had to be sacrificed or killed," she tsked lightly, hunching her shoulders. "I don't think it should be ignored for that reason. If all else fails and nothing else presents itself, I believe it's worth pursuing the knowledge."

She dropped her hands onto the table and leaned back in her chair to meet his gaze squarely. It was true that she'd held some reservations in that vision, but now that she'd experienced it for herself, it no longer seemed frightening or forbidding. It was something she could do, she knew that.

"I'm not suggesting that I throw away my life as a martyr either. Completing the merge would not have killed me."

But she knew there was a strong possibility that it could have changed her. Even so, she would have continued to exist, so it couldn't be considered much of a sacrifice on her part.

It was difficult unearthing her feelings in verbal form, and frustrating. Her thumb rubbed over the other as she tried to puzzle out the right way to express why this bothered her the way it did, and why she wasn't behaving as she usually did. "I'm not committing to anything yet. At this point, I only want the security of knowing we do have one option of saving this world and our own. But...I do not want you or anyone else to think less of me for considering this. Some seemed fearful or resentful...perhaps thinking I desired power, or that I would be corrupted." And it had hurt her, to be denied that kind of support and trust from the people she cared about.

Finally she exhaled and pushed her fingers through her hair, closing her eyes as her head sank forward. "Forgive me for rambling like a fool. It's difficult to say what I wish I could."

Edited 2016-02-16 08:28 (UTC)

"If this vision has any credibility, then we also still have time ta research other alternatives."

Raven noted as he planted the legs of the planted firmly onto the floor. The archer reentered the kitchen to add some of the vegetables so they could start cooking. When he finished the following step, he returned to the dining area where Rukia could be found. The overall atmosphere of the room hadn't changed, but he was willing to change topics for the time being.

"How's the kid doin'?"

The one from her world, who seemed like a good kid. Raven didn't know him to make any judgement, but he liked what he saw of Ichigo so far.

It didn't take a lot of deduction on Rukia's part to know that he probably wasn't a big fan of the plan. Best to keep it to herself for a while, then, she thought, and willingly acquiesced to the change of subject once he returned to the table.

"He's well," she responded, sitting back and resting her hands in her lap once more. "I don't think he's changed his mind about chocobos. He seems interested in making some of the recipes his little sister used to make." Beyond that, though, she really wasn't sure. She hadn't talked to Ichigo about the vision, or what they'd gone through. He seemed like he was coping, though, and wasn't showing any of the usual signs of moping or beating himself up over not being strong enough.

"Maybe you could teach him some of the recipes you taught me."

His expression began to reflect the tone of the conversation. Raven wasn't so layered that his mood was mysterious 100% of the time. It was probably a good thing that he wasn't that secretive either.

"Cookin' lessons?" He questioned with slight interest. He didn't really care to go around teaching all of Crystallis how to cook. He wasn't chef by any means; he just happened to know his way around a stove.

"Why don't you teach him?" Not that he was unwilling, Raven was just curious why she wouldn't try to help him first. Unless she thought her skill was unsatisfactory. The meals he had managed to teach her turned out well, and that was on the first try. Raven was sure she had honed her skill even by a little since then.

"Well, I'd planned on it," she replied, her expression puzzled. "But I thought you were asking about him so you could get to know one another better." Was that not the case? It seemed like the two of them could probably be good friends, but perhaps that was just hopeful wishing on her part.

Or maybe...

Rukia lowered her lashes slightly as a coy little smirk played over her face. "Or could it be that you're only interested in teaching women?" she teased.

Just a little humor to make up for her otherwise dour and awkward presence thus far.

Raven didn't have any plans to become really acquainted to him. If they happened to be at the same place at the same time, then he'd roll with it, but as far as socializing goes most of his plotting was filled with getting work done.

"I don't have much interest teachin'."

"Why did you teach me, then?" Was he giving her a serious answer, or just messing around with her to pass the time until the soup was ready? "I thought you did a good job. You have a great deal of patience and knowledge."

"I thought it might be fun."

It helped that he got to meet her prior to teaching her how to cook, and it also helped that she was, indeed, a woman.

"..."

That was the only answer she was going to get, wasn't it? Rukia gave him a flat half-lidded stare for a long moment, to see if he had anything else to say about it, but clearly that was that. She exhaled and put her chin back into her hands. How did she wind up falling in love with a man like him in that future? Maybe the sage really was pulling everyone's leg.

"You're impossible sometimes," she sighed heavily.

"You've still got a long way ta go if ya wanna learn about the livin' world."

He noted vaguely, as if he had something to share, but he wasn't going to share it. The all-knowing Raven with all his wisdom didn't always divulge the truth, or even half-truth. It was this sense of difficulty that made him unpopular with is companions at times.

"I'm more interested in learning about you," she grumbled at him, one eye squished by her cheek as she leaned heavily into her left hand. Too bad his file didn't cover this part of him, or she wouldn't have to wonder all of the time.

...But perhaps she shouldn't have said it quite like that.

Quickly she glanced away, hoping he wouldn't see the red that started to heat up her face. Her hand was still on her cheek, so maybe she was safe. "Can you teach me to cook one of Yuri's favorite dishes, then? I need to thank him for helping me with something."

Namely, getting stabbed so she didn't have to get sucked into a tree and merged with the gelatinous crystal calamity.

He wasn't so sure about that, and it should be something she wanted to do, but he couldn't control her and he wasn't about to start. Truth be told, it made things a tad awkward, but he chose to overlook it in favor of the Yuri subject.

"Mabo Curry?" It was the only one that came to mind where Yuri repeatedly cooked in favor of eating it.

"Is that his favorite?" she blinked, looking back at him now that her face was starting to cool down. That was the first recipe he'd taught her, after all, so mission accomplished? But she certainly wouldn't have minded learning something else. Cooking together with a partner was something she'd grown to really enjoy.

She didn't bother asking him what Raven's favorite dish was, since he'd already told her he didn't have a favorite.

It did save the task of having to teach her another dish. He was feeling particularly lazy at the moment, but he hadn't been brought up to speed just yet.

"When are ya gonna cook it?"

Rather than asking for why. It wasn't really his place to know their business, but it would be good to know when he should and shouldn't interrupt it.

"Probably this weekend," she shrugged, as she hadn't really planned on a particular date. "I need to report to Esdham some time this month, so I should take that into account as well."

It struck her as a somewhat odd question to ask. Was he just making small talk?

"Why? Did you want to help make it?" Perhaps that was the reason. It didn't even occur to her that he meant to avoid interrupting them, because that would imply something completely hilarious and unrealistic.

"No reason." None particularly shallow anyway, and he wasn't into explaining unnecessarily.

"Thanks fer the picture by the way."

A change of tune to switch the topic, but he genuinely appreciated it. Even if he didn't follow the directions. Raven pulled it out, as it was folded, but mostly neatly kept.

Picture? ...Oh. He'd taken it with him from the hospital, then. Rukia's puzzled gaze dropped from his face to the picture, then back again. Confusion slowly changed to warmth, manifesting in a faint, sincere smile. It was just a little thing, she knew, but even so she was glad he'd kept it.

"Well, I'd already put a moustache on Yuri's face. I didn't want the joke to get old, naturally," she replied with a coy gesture...that somehow fell flat.

She'd left him the note because she didn't want him to be burdened with anxious friends. And yet, here she'd been, anxious and hopeless just the same. Rukia just wasn't very good at not worrying about him, or anyone else she cared about.

Her short nails moved absently back and forth on the table's wooden surface as she fretted internally. "It was a long time, so..."

So I was worried you might not wake up, like the others there.

"So...thank you for coming back."

You're one of my best friends, it would have hurt me to lose you.

"I don't think I had any influence on the phenomenon..." He admitted truthfully. Then again, who actually understood how Crystal Stasis worked? It was just one of those world wonders no one would be able to solve.

"Guess this ol' man does have some stroke of luck." For the longest time, he didn't think so.

Raven tucked the folder paper away. He would probably stash it somewhere in his room, not well hidden, but not displayed either.

"Oh... Yes." Rukia blinked, lifting her gaze from the table to blink at him. Luck? Perhaps that was it. She wasn't really sure why he'd succumbed to crystal stasis in the first place, but he'd made it out again, and she was glad for that.

But she was still emotionally reeling, and she was aware that it continued to make things awkward when she remained torn between hugging the living breath out of him and hurrying to get back to normal as soon as possible. She couldn't really have it both ways.

So she chose normality, for now. They could eat soup, talk, and bid each other good night like always. Speaking of...

"The soup is probably done by now. I'll get the bowls and spoons," she said, rising to her feet.

"Yer probably right."

Raven head back into the kitchen to grab the pot of goods, along with a pad for the hot dish to sit on. When he came back, the steaming pot of soup's aroma wafted into the room. It sat long enough to absorb the flavor of the broth, and it was sure to taste good. Luckily she caught it before it had the chance to overcook. Raven set it onto the table on top of the pad.

"Hand me yer bowl."

"Certainly," she said, passing her bowl to him. "Thank you." She sat near the front of her chair to put herself closer to the table, so her feet would at least reach the floor while they ate supper together.

"You must be starving, after going so long without a meal," she smiled.

When the bowl was handed over, Raven collected the soup's contents with a ladle and poured them into the bowl. When it was half way full, Raven set the bowl of soup on the table.

"I don't feel much different than before my stasis."

It was odd, and he still didn't fully understand it. Raven couldn't just go skipping meals, though. So it was better he ate just in case.

Rukia let the bowl sit, waiting until he'd filled his own before she would start to eat. She watched his movements carefully. He said he didn't feel much different, and she believed him. Thankfully he hadn't been one of the people that went unconscious and experienced the vision even outside of Mysidia, but on the other hand, she did wonder how he might have reacted to it. Rukia wasn't certain how much Yuri would say about that vision of the sage's, but she did trust that he would tell Raven anything that felt necessary to know.

"Are you tired at all?" she asked, lifting the spoon to take the first sip. Then she sat back with a blink. Raven's cooking never failed to surprise her at how good it was. It was perfectly seasoned, rich enough to satisfy without overpowering the vegetables. "...This is excellent."

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