‡† The Unseen †‡

15 † Echoed Interpreter †

What did I do to this one now?

"Do you always decode him like that?" came her question, much to more of Raven's relief, who thought she was just going to stay there looking like someone who's trying to think of ways to reverse gravity.

Raven smirked and shrugged, squinting his eyes at Devon before responding, "Someone’s gotta play the emotional subtitle machine."

Devon didn’t look up, but one corner of his mouth quirked up just slightly. And just like always, Raven noticed.

Devon glanced at him, and Raven couldn't stop the grin from forming. He knew what that look meant.

A side-eye with weight. No words. But to Raven, it read, clear as day: "Thanks."

Ah, so he DOES get the memo here. Lucky Kaya.

Raven shrugged back, his eyes locked on to Devon's for a second, as if saying: "You owe me one, grump."

—————

It's like she's everywhere.

Here she was again, leaning beside Raven's locker, glaring at anyone who gave her an appreciative once-over. The way she leaned on the locker, reminded him so much of the guy she was supposed to be with—Devon.

But he wasn't anywhere near.

What the heck is she doing here? Doesn't she hate me or something?

From the very beginning, the instant Kaya came back and set her sights on Devon, Raven knew. The looks—glares, rather—were transparent enough to decipher. She hated him. Why? For reasons he wouldn't begin to try and know. He had many other things to take care of.

Like breathing.

Like not choking.

Like.. figuring out how the heck he'd be able to keep using the car to go to work if it keeps breaking down.

Raven opened his locker, silently, sparing her a glance before moving to take what he needed from his locker. If she wasn't here because of him, then—

"Does he ever... open up? Or is this the most I’ll get?" 

Raven didn't need to ask to know who they were talking about. He shut his locker slowly, then stared at it thoughtfully, a solemn smile on his face as he thought of Devon in general.

"He doesn’t open," he finally managed to say, "He.. leaks. In glances. In twitchy fingers. In those.. weirdly poetic insults."

Raven listened to Kaya laugh, despite herself, and Raven's smile became much more prominent.

He continued, his smile still wide, but more serious now;

"He’s been through more than he says. But if you’re patient? He listens. And he remembers every little thing. Even if he acts like he doesn’t."

——————

Now that's more like it.

This time, Raven wasn't complaining so much that she was everywhere. Apparently, she was doing Devon more good than harm.

Way more good if you ask me.

Raven watched as Kaya sat with Devon, settling softly. She didn't push or talk much. She simply placed a book beside him—one she knew he’d like—which wasn't all that surprising. If she was so invested in Devon, she might as well stalked him a time or two.

She spoke, “I figured if you're gonna leak, I might as well offer a sponge.”

Raven hid his grin.