melodiesoflife | 001 Arrow of Love

Entry tags:

001 Arrow of Love | Auction Dates

Who: Raven/Rukia & Raven/Zelda
What: Auction Dates in Action
When: Oct 7th & Oct 8th
Where: House B-03 & Balicea
Warnings: None so far.

[ Prompt I ]

Raven thought it fit to spend the date doing something they were both familiar with. It was how they originally met, only this time they would make dessert instead, crepes in particular. He himself wasn't too fond of sweets, but he knew women typically were.

Rukia would hear a knock on the door, though they had scheduled this "date" so she wouldn't be all too surprised to find him at her door step. He wen't through the trouble of gathering the necessary ingredients so they could start right away. Perhaps they would get to know each other, though he was more likely to inquire about her than to share about himself.

Upon opening the door, she would find the gruffy man stationed on the welcome mat, if there was one, with a friendly smile. He carried a bag that had everything they would need for the treat. Raven figured that she deserved something nice. After the display of her determination to win a bid for him, of all people. He didn't think he was worthless, but that brought about a different value.

"Hey there!"

[ Prompt II ]

| BEACH |
It was a tad rainy to fully enjoy the beach, which was kind of a drag since this was the first time Raven had ventured outside of the mainland since he arrived here. He had done a lot of traveling back on his world, and while he wasn't fond of it, he still wanted to know what he was dragged into. He just so happened to use this date with Zelda as a guise to get out in a casual sense, without raising any unwanted suspicion.

At the very least they could enjoy the indoor pools that weren't far from the shore. Raven figured it might be nice for Zelda as well, though she was the one who won the bid. Her intentions weren't clear to him, but he had things in mind he wanted to do, she just happened to agree to them. Outside of their initial contact, he didn't really know her.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Traditional dating activity. He could tell she was putting a little more effort than necessary into this. Especially considering he was well above the age of youthful love. He might have tried that hard had he been the young, foolish man he was years ago. His beat has since changed, but it was nice to see that kind of energy be attempted still.

He wasn't thrilled to have been given a crepe, he didn't really like sweets, but it would be rather rude to just turn down her hard effort that he helped her teach. The older gentleman took the one offered to him, and followed up with a small bite (more than tiny, but less than average). He hummed briefly inspecting the taste. It was a little off, but not bad. Very much still edible.

"Could use some work, but crepes are hard. Not bad for yer first try."

"Ah, thank you," she beamed. She was enjoying hers, ugly as it was. And since she wasn't aware of Raven's culinary preferences, she assumed he was teaching her the dishes that he himself preferred to eat.

There would be a mountain of crepes in his future. Suffer.

Even if her first attempt wasn't perfect, she hadn't expected to be an instant master. There was still much to learn and hours of practice to dedicate to the art of cooking. She would try again and again. ...And Raven could sample the results.

She finished her bite before she raised her eyebrows questioningly. "What shall I do differently next time?" She thought she'd followed the instructions closely, but perhaps not closely enough.

"Well worry about it later." He chimed, content as one could be when eating a disliked food. He would finish as much as could, but in the end, he wouldn't be able to eat all of it. It just wasn't something he could bring himself to do. "I think I'm full." After one crepe, he wasn't really full, but he did eat something prior to arriving here.

"When do ya wanna go on that stroll?"

They could sit out the dessert for a little bit if she didn't want to be active right after. He preferred to laze around after meals himself, but he was also use to moving after eating. Saving the world didn't happen just by staying in one place after all.

"We can leave shortly," she promised, taking his plate and eating what was left. One did not waste food in the slums, and even though that was years ago, the habit hadn't died. Besides, she hadn't eaten dinner, so there was plenty of room. "Allow me to clean up, then I'll grab my jacket."

She wanted to save the rest of the batter for later, so she put the bowl into the icebox. She was certain her roommates would enjoy the treat, and Rukia would enjoy the extra cooking experience.

"Where will we be going? Is it a surprise?" She looked pumped about the experience, whatever it happened to be. "Would you like me to hold your hand, or your arm?" She didn't seem shy about either option.

The best part about being a guest as he had a lot less work. Raven wasn't fond of the clean up that came with cooking either, so he would gladly allow her to do that. Though he would undoubtedly clean if it would have been his place.

He was caught off guard by the comment. Was he actually supposed to treat this like a date because if he did, he certainly didn't prepare for it properly. He could probably think up a destination on the spot, Raven had scoured the city enough to become familiar with it.

"The arm is fine." The contact isn't direct, at least, so it wouldn't be as unusual right? Holdin' hands wasn't something Raven could say he's done before, or often. At least as of late. "And it's a surprise." Since it'd be a shame to disappoint her with the reality of not having anything planned. He should have taken this more seriously. He really was irresponsible.

Or maybe he just had the misfortune to bid on someone who was just that excited about being able to experience a traditional courtship ritual of the living, who was desperate to ensure that she played her role exceptionally well.

Or both. They could both be fully blamed, really.

Her face lit up at the mention of a surprise, and she nodded sharply. "Understood. I'll return shortly!" Flicking the dishwater from her hands, Rukia rushed up the stairs and turned into her room. When she came back, she was pulling on the purple peacoat she'd bought along with the rest of the outfit, drawing her hair out of the collar and buttoning up the front.

When she got to the bottom of the steps, she paused to look at Raven, sizing him up and down. "We match!" she declared triumphantly, giving him a thumbs up. That hadn't even been intentional, but she was quite pleased at the coincidence.

With everything tidied up, Rukia was ready to go, and it seemed Raven was as well. She followed him out the front door, turning to lock up behind them. Once they reached the bottom of the steps, she curled her fingers around the crook of his elbow. "Ready."

That is what happens when two unpracticed people decide to go on a date together. Especially one won through a bid of all things. It wasn't so traditional when gauged in a perspective where the date was essentially bought out.

He was torn between whether how wise or unwise all of this was. It was supposed to be her first date, if he remembered correctly, and it'd be a shame to ruin it for her if things were to go unfavorably. While Raven could joke and play at the dating game, it wasn't something he had done for a long time, and when he did, it was out of use to pry for information. He had gone undercover for quite sometime after all. This the first time in awhile he had taken things seriously outside of being dishonest to the other party.

Skipping to the last statement, Raven gave a subtle on.

"Let's be on our way, then." He casually linked his arm with hers, though it might have been frigid along the way. He had to remember to take this ernest and not something else.

He did seem a little stiff, she noticed. Was he nervous? She had a few ideas as to what was contributing to any possible tension he held, but thought it wise to keep those theories to herself. Instead, she just gave his arm a pat with her other hand.

"Relax," she smiled up at him. "We're friends. And you're doing just fine." So far, this date was turning out to closely match what she'd studied. It wasn't quite so dramatic, but she figured that was due more to the fictional element in the books that was meant to hook the reader.

It was pretty clear from the look on her face that she was fully enjoying herself. It was nice to spend some quality time together, just the two of them. She could understand why people would bid on dates at an auction.

She kept pace at his side, the black flats she wore tapping lightly on the cobbled streets as she took in the sights. She wasn't sure where they were going, but she liked the mystery.

"You've been on many dates in the past, have you not?" she asked, lifting her chin to look up at him. "What's your favorite kind?"

"That obvious, huh?" Though she likely misinterpret his body language to be something else, she picked up on it nevertheless. Raven gave a silent sigh, as if to relinquish whatever it was that could have been bothering him. She was even supportive, and it did help to a degree. He had another date to account for as well, so this was a good precedent to set.

He had time to think up of a place they could venture, and he could even claim that they could a scenic route if he wanted to stall. He was still a convincing liar when he wanted to be after all. (Though that wasn't always the case nowadays). It couldn't be food since they had just done that in the comfort of her home, so it would have to be of a different activity.

"Hmm." He chewed on the question a little before coming to an answer suitable for it. "I've been on a few." For some reason or another, so he couldn't recall if one was ever his favorite since he had underlying objectives to them. "Can't say I have a favorite."

"Not in appearance, if it's any consolation." If she hadn't taken his arm, she likely wouldn't have guessed. Perhaps he thought her expectations were unrealistically high, given her intensive studies? It was a good thing she didn't show him her notes, then, as she wasn't sure he was physically up to the part where they chased each other and laughed and sparkled. His heart was sort of not there, after all.

Still, she was curious. She could either wonder silently and harbor her own assumptions, or just flat out ask him. If he didn't want to answer, he could just ignore her, change the subject, or decline straight up.

"So what's bothering you?" she asked, tilting her head slightly. "You needn't answer if you are uncomfortable doing so. But if you would have me adjust my role, I would gladly affect a change."

More questions he didn't really have answers too, or rather, he couldn't answer them honestly. Not that he didn't trust her, but he himself wasn't ready to confess. Raven had many skeletons in his closet, and it was in the last few months that they started to trickle out.

"It's nothin' ya need ta worry about." At least not for now, and he wasn't so comfortable, that she would have to adjust her mindset for them to make this possible. Moving back into the expectations of a date, something came to mind for Raven.

He would guide them to the third district, a district dedicated to historical information, documented or otherwise. There weren't many "date worthy" attractions in this city, so he settled for something a little more contemporary. The museum seemed like a good place to go. It'd be a good chance for her to maybe brush up on this world's culture. He had come here previously on his own to do some information digging.

"Here we are. Sorry it's nothin' romantic, Aqures Ixen doesn't have much outside of Blitzball."

"Of course I'm worried, it's only natural." If her date wasn't having a good time, then she needed to try harder. But she didn't push the issue. He was such a private person, and she'd already dug up so much information about him. Were she to forcefully wring out anything more, they may as well be married. "Just let me know what I must do to ensure you enjoy this as much as I am."

That's impossible, Rukia.

Maybe she just needed to relax, herself. It might take more of the pressure off of him. She looked up at the museum with a smile. Ah, so this was it! What a pleasant surprise!

"I haven't been here before," she stated, and grinned at Raven. "Do not worry. Romance doesn't really suit me. This is an ideal location." Not bad, for a spur of the moment decision. What was more, she could learn about this world outside of a book, and she was curious to see what kind of displays they had.

Well it doubled well since this was her first visit. The museum as lacking in some historical elements, and mostly focused of Heroes of Light, but it pertained to her involvement, so she would surely find it interesting because of that. Raven didn't buy into everything that was displayed, but he did make notes of it. The Crystal of Fire, in particular was one of the more interesting artifacts and he would make it a point to visit the information surrounding it.

"Shall we?" He questioned as he did the gentlemanly thing to do, and that was to hold open the door so she could enter first.

"Why thank you!" she laid a hand on her cheek, practically *shining* with demure, maidenly charm. ...Okay, maybe she was laying it on a little thick. She was having fun, though.

Her steps echoed in the vast halls, and she paused for a moment to take in as much as she could. She wondered if this place mentioned the previous heroes of light from two millenniums ago. Her brow furrowed faintly. That particular point had been nagging at her for a while.

But her frown vanished as soon as Raven stepped up beside her, and she was all sparkle and charm once more. "Let's start on the right and make our way around?"

"Sounds like a plan." He replied in compliance. He didn't have a preference either way and was here for her sake at this point. She seemed to be enjoying herself at the very least, so he didn't feel bad about springing a surprise like this last minute, as ill-planned as it was. There was some old text written in the ancient language, a language that could only be deciphered from a seasoned scholar, which they were not. Still it did have information regarding its discovery and where it was located.

"It's kinda vague." He admitted. Not to mention much of the information he did look up was a bunch of lip service that painted the Heroes of Light out to be legends. It didn't have much fact behind the details that made them such besides your traditional "good beats evil" and the like.

"Yes," she agreed, growing more and more pensive the further they went. At the very least, the sculptures and paintings meant to serve as an homage were beautifully crafted. She did like looking at them. But as far as historical facts went, there wasn't much there she didn't already know after scouring the library with Robin. If anything, the accounts were drastically simplified.

"I wonder...if our fates will be the same," she mused soberly as they stood in front of a particular painting called "The Sacrifice." It was annoyingly abstract; she might have liked a little more information on this particular subject.

Rukia held her arms, heaving a quick sigh of frustration.

"Well," she conceded, bowing her head. "The art is lovely. I'll have to return here once I've mastered the Scholar job. I should like to know what some of these old writings truly say."

"Ya might learn more that way."

It was somewhat disappointing indeed, but he had one last thing to show in all of this and the time they spent together. It wasn't told to him explicitly, he sought the information and stumbled upon it by accident. He guided her back to the crystal of fire, the very crystal they woke up next to.

"Apparently this is the beacon that summons us." Or so legends dictate. Whether their fates were to be the same as the heroes before them or not, was to their discretion. Raven personally thought they could change the outcome. Just because something seemed unlikely didn't make it so. He learned that first hand when traveling with those kids. "But that's not the most interestin' part about it."

He gently took her hand, regardless of whether she was aware of what was to happen or not. Raven moved her hand to the crystal and placed her palm on top of it, his hand overlapping hers. If the effect was universal, she would soon feel warm, and feel as though she were back on her own world. He didn't know the details of this happening. His best guess being that the crystal still linked to their worlds if it truly was the beacon that brought them.

"...I remember," she blinked, gazing up at the Crystal. She took a step closer, then another. She hadn't paid the Crystal much heed at the time. It had seemed like part of the background and little more. The Moogles captured her interest first, then the other Heroes. And yet, the Crystal of Fire was apparently very important, as she'd learned later. It had been the target of attacks in the past. Why, she didn't know.

She blinked as Raven's hand took hers, guiding it to the Crystal. Her fingertips recoiled slightly -- she hadn't expected it to be so warm. But once she was sure it wouldn't burn her, she relaxed, spreading her fingers wide and placing her palm on its surface. She could feel the roughness of Raven's palm against the back of her hand, a gentle reassurance of his presence and support.

Rukia closed her eyes. The warmth slowly spread to her wrist and through her arm, filling her up inside with the sensations with which she was once so familiar. She could almost smell the fragrant cherry blossoms of the trees in Byakuya's garden, and feel the sunlight on her cheek. She remembered Renji's unrestrained and good-natured laughter, her captain's gentle smile, Kaien's words of encouragement. And Ichigo... Yes, she remembered the pride she felt as well, seeing him grow so strong, determined to protect everyone that touched his life.

"This...this is wonderful..." she murmured, her throat just a little tight. "I had no idea."

Slowly she parted her lashes and took a deep breath. The feelings were just that: feelings. She wasn't truly standing in the courts of the Seireitei, she knew. But it almost felt as if she could reach out and touch that place. The safety of that world she loved depended on whether or not they could succeed in this world. It was a good reminder, chasing away the gloom of uncertainty.

Looking back at her friend, she smiled with warm gratitude. "Thank you, Raven. I think I needed this."

So this was her first exposure to the Crystal of Fire outside of being woken next to it. He figured it'd be a good reminder of what she was supposed to be fighting for. Raven wasn't entirely sold on helping this world, but he didn't want his to fall with it, so with that in mind, he'd do what he could for now.

"We all need a little encouragement." He eventually pulled his hand back, removing it from hers. That was perhaps the first time he's ever touched someone in that manner in a long time. It wasn't in vain though, and he felt the results were worth the effort. Rukia was a good person, that much was evident.

"Did ya want ta do anythin' else?"

It definitely wasn't in vain. When Rukia's fingertips finally fell away from the Crystal, she felt warm, inside and out. She took a quick breath, and smiled. This had been a very good date.

She turned to face him with a faint nod. "I think we've fulfilled the basic requirements." Her gaze drifted to the side as she tugged at the scarf hanging loose from her neck. "...But I wouldn't mind taking the long route to get home."

Rukia grinned, looking up at him again, then moved to take her place at his side once more. "Maybe you can tell me more about how you came to be a part of Yuri's guild on the way back."

Met the basic requirements? She took this dating thing a little too seriously with all the notes. He wondered if she'll eventually come to find that love couldn't be planned. It was something that just happened, even when you didn't want it to. Raven would save it for later, preferably for her t find out for herself, but he'd assist her along the way.

"I'm more interested in that Soul Reaper lifestyle of yers."

More that he didn't feel like talking about him, but also the fact that he was genuinely interested in what her world had to offer. It certainly sounded nothing like his, so he found himself curious about it. Not to mention she seemed to have unusual understandings of somethings while being sound in others. It wasn't a mix a personal typically had.

"Of mine?" The question caught her by surprise, far more than his evasion of her own question. So far, she'd been pretty open about her life and upbringing with others. Rukia didn't feel as if she had any great secrets to hide. She took his arm again, her other hand resting against her chin and lip as she thought how she might best explain it.

"Well, I suppose I should start by saying that Soul Reapers are elected from two primary sources - those who were born from noble families in the Seireitei Courts of Soul Society, and those souls dwelling in the districts beyond that have a certain degree of spiritual power. I came from the latter group."

Her hand dropped back to her side as they descended the steps and moved back to the city streets.

"I passed away as an infant, probably at the same time as my older sister, Hisana. So I have no memory of my time spent among the living. The Soul Society was all I'd ever known until recently." There was no bitterness or regret in her voice; she harbored none. The only thing she might have wished for was to know her sister better.

"Hisana was unable to care for the both of us, so she reluctantly abandoned me in the slums. I grew up in the 78th of the 80 Districts, one that was heavily stricken with poverty. I became friends with a group of boys, one of which was named Renji. He had spiritual energy like myself. It was a difficult life for children, and our friends did not survive the years that passed. So, Renji and I decided to enroll in the shinigami academy and become Soul Reapers, to seek out a better life for ourselves. Shortly after that, I was adopted into one of the noble families, and my graduation was rushed to completion. My sister had married a man named Byakuya Kuchiki. When she passed away, she asked him to look after me as if I were his own sister. The transition from my life in the Rukongai to the Kuchiki Estate was..." She tipped her head back, thoughtful. "...Difficult. I no longer truly belonged to either social class. But the vice captain, Kaien, helped me to adjust to my duties, and was the first to treat me as a normal person might."

She smiled, tilting her head to regard him with a side glance. "Is that what you wished to know? Or was it too much?" She knew so much about his past already, it felt as if she needed to provide a little more than she usually would to better balance the scales.

He wasn't quite expecting her to divulge her childhood past along with the shinigami information, though he did find her passing to be interesting if anything else. Raven couldn't say he was very familiar with that life style or what warranted an operation of that sort to be organized, but he sure there were more long-winded explanations that coincided with her vocation.

"I don't have much ta say since I don't fully understand it." There was a pause in his speech. He contemplate if he should continue with his train of thought. "But it does give me a better idea of where yer comin' from." He admitted in a light tone. One not too serious.

As they walked back to her place, since it was only fitting to drop the woman off first when parting ways. Well not to mention she still didn't know where he lived, but that was a different matter not involving her influence. It was still odd to be arm in arm with someone, Rukia in particular. A person, no, a friend he had just met here. Of all places she was probably one of his newer stronger bonds, and there was no telling if more people from their worlds would even arrive. If they arrived.

Eventually they would find their way to her front door. The end of the chapter had just arrived, and her first experience of a date was drawing to a close. It wasn't something he anticipated would happen when he arrived here, but it did anyway. He imagined more unexpected things of different natures would occur that he probably wouldn't expect. Least to say, she should hopefully have a better grasp on the living's culture. It had inadvertently caused him to grow a little himself. Raven was still learning he no longer had to live as if he were already dead. Not anymore at least.

"Well. Here we are."

Rukia chuckled. "I'll have my notebook next time. Illustrations may help you to gain a better understanding of Soul Society's structure."

Or they would just make the story unexpectedly hilarious. Her drawings often had that effect.

When they arrived at her door, Rukia found that her overall experience had been very satisfying. She liked spending time with him, and though she hadn't learned much about him, she'd learned a couple of new things. They were closer now, and she was happy. What was more, now that she'd experienced a date, she would no longer have to wonder what it would be like. There was nothing more she could have hoped for.

"Yes," she smiled, releasing his arm and ascending the first step so she could better see Raven when she turned to face him. "I truly had a wonderful time. You have my thanks."

But it wasn't over JUST yet. There was still one more tradition to complete. "How shall we say good night?" she grinned, settling her hands on her hips. "I understand a hug or a kiss on the cheek is a common practice, but a handshake will do if that's what you prefer." After all, they were friends. She wasn't going to insist that they kiss, there was no need to play at intimacy where none existed.

Edited 2015-10-28 15:55 (UTC)

Raven wasn't so sure he wanted an explanation coupled with her illustrations. It took taking her seriously much more difficult when she did. It begged to question where she even picked up such a trait. Regardless, he would make some effort to understand if she came around to explaining more details he had no knowledge of. Raven didn't expect to learn everything, but a general understanding was more than enough to understand her in turn.

At the very least, he was grateful that she didn't have such a horrible time with him. Not that Raven viewed himself as a terrible date, but there were some aspects to his personality that his friends could probably live without, though she seemed complacent enough when challenged with them. He was by no means perfect, but he was lucky enough to strike out with the close friends he did have. While most of them were still back on his world, he was slowly making some new one heres, and he still had Yuri.

For the final chapter, he was somewhat taken by surprise, though not entirely. Raven wasn't sure how to approach ending the date. Considering he level of research, she was bound to have read an end involving a kiss at the door. He paused momentarily, both in shock and thought.

001 Arrow of Love | Auction Dates

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

Dx I think this is my undoing for the night!

/ded <3

<3

<3!

❤ ♡ ❤

HOW DID YOU DO THAT

With love ❤

/squints ............... ❤

❤ 1/2

❤ 2/2

❤ ❤ ❤

❤ ❤ ❤