(Art Not Mine- All Rights To Original Artist)
"T-the cat was wal-wal-"
"Sound it out.", Raven advised the little girl she was sitting with, watching with satisfaction as she continued reading on.
"-walking do-down the st-street.", Bella finished the sentence, smiling accomplishedly at Raven.
"Very good!", she whole-heartedly praised. "Now, let's move on to the next one."
Bella nodded at her enthusiastically before remembering that she had wanted to ask the TA a question.
Staring intently, she asked, "Miss Roth, why is your hair purple? Did you colour it?"
Raven responded, "No, I was born with it this colour. Do you like it?", she teased at the end.
The girl reached out to the ends of Raven's hair, playing with it, "Yes! It's so pretty. I wanna have purple hair! Or maybe orangey-red like mummy's!"
With that, the child launched in to a monologue about her beautiful, kind, wonderful mummy who made all the flowers grow. After five minutes, during which Bobby and Tatyana both started talking about their parents, Raven checked the butterfly-clock on the wall. Remembering that she was leaving at one-thirty (which was in a two minutes) Raven announced to the three that she had to go (although their 'awww's of disappointment made her not want to leave).
After alerting the teacher that she was leaving, Raven exited the classroom, waving to the kids. Once outside the building, she looked around. Upon spotting the person she was looking for, Raven walked over to him, a small smile still on her face.
"Raven.", he acknowledged with a nod of his head, though he was staring at her strangely.
"What?", she asked, confused.
He shook his head slightly, "Nothing, you simply appear to be... in a better mood than usual."
She shot him a look as if to say 'are you serious?'.
"Am I not allowed to smile, Damian?", her tone had just enough sarcasm in it for Damian to know that she wasn't upset.
Again, he shook his head at her, the corners of his mouth lifted up. Unsure of what drove him to say so, Damian commented, "You should smile more often.", quite surprising her.
She returned his quip, "Well, maybe you should take your own advice."
The two walked in companionable silence to the supermarket, just as they had done every Monday, Wednesday and Friday for the past three weeks. It had become routine for them to do so.
After their usual stop at the supermarket, Damian and Raven strolled to the usual spot where Raven would transport them back to the Manor. The tranquil mood was ever present as they basked in the afternoon sunlight and kicked their way through golden piles of leaves. Car horns and screeching tires were lost upon them.
Raven's eyes met those of the boy besides her, enraptured.
His eyes weren't merely green...no, they were a symphony of jade and chartreuse, lighting his image in a way never witnessed by her before...except for that time. But she would keep that at the back of her mind for once, only focusing on the present.
On those eyes when they were graced by the sun.
Those eyes that were so much more than just purple...no, they were an ensemble of amethyst and periwinkle, stunning Damian in to a near stupor. Certainly, he had known that Raven was attractive appearance-wise, though she appeared entirely oblivious to the fact, and being raised to not take any notice of a person's beauty had left a large impact on Damian yet he couldn't cease his awe.
Raven had, without a doubt, the most beautiful eyes that he had ever seen.
It was undeniable.
Damian decided, in that moment, that he had to add a new instalment to his sketch pad (a secret known to none).
After what felt like hours, but was in fact a few minutes, Damian and Raven came upon the alley. Seconds later, they were back in the Manor living room, still carrying a bag of shopping in each hand.
"Hello Damian and Raven!", Kori greeted them, sitting on a sofa, watching TV with Jaime, Jason and Donna (the Redhood had nothing else to do with his life).
The two returned Koriand'r's address before Raven asked, "Where is Adyn?"
Donna answered her offhandedly, "He's in his room, I think."
As she was about to walk off, Raven remembered the bags in her hands. Damian held his bags in one hand, holding the other out. She handed them to him, walking off quickly.
Damian exited the room shortly after she did, heading towards the kitchen. He put the items in their correct places, under the watchful gaze of Alfred the butler (not the cat). Opening the third bag, he realised that he had forgotten to do something.
Re-entering the living room, Damian's eyes trained on Donna -who was flicking through a magazine, having finished watching TV. The boy wonder walked over to her, gaining her attention,
"As requested.", he told her, handing over the bag, "Chocolate, sweets, ice-cream and sanitary towels."
Jon, who had just stepped in to the room, turned a startling red, causing Damian to smirk in his usual manner.
Donna sighed in gratefulness, "My actual lifesaver!", and nearly melting with happiness as she pulled out two tubs of ice-cream, "Sweet Aphrodite! It's Ben and Jerry's! Thank you so much!"
Damian merely told her not to worry about it, leaving the room once more.
***
"Adyn?"
Raven nocked thrice upon his door.
After calling out to him again, he opened the door, running a hand through his unruly light ringlets. He brought together an unconvincing smile, one which Raven raised her eyebrows at. Adyn had been keeping mostly to himself after the first few days in the Manor: his guilt was eating him up. Raven could sense his frustration and angst and knew he directed the at himself.
Smile cracking, he asked in a soft, curious tone, "What is it Raven?"
She responded, "Can I come in?", receiving an 'of course' from her brother.
Adyn sad on the bed whilst Raven leant her back against the door, trying to uncover more about his emotional state. He was blocking her though. Refusing to let her see beyond the obtuse feelings. She pushed harder on his mind but he refused to give in.
"Adyn, what's the matter?"
He scoffed, tying back his long curls absentmindedly.
Raven sighed, "Look, I know how hard it is- "
"Raven you weren't there!", he burst out unexpectedly, fists clenched and eyes ablaze.
A true embodiment of Wrath. This was Adyn at his worst.
And Pride couldn't help but retaliate with the same fury.
"Do you think I don't know that?!", she shouted back at him, "Do you think I don't feel the pain?! That I don't hate myself enough for it?". Raven had abandoned her usual persona- surely, if the other titans were present, they wouldn't recognise her- but she had started, and this tirade wouldn't finish nicely.
"It is as bad for me as it is for you- I was supposed to protect them!- I was supposed to lead them!- I am supposed to be fighting for them! My people are dead because of me!", Pride's voice faltered as she brought her hands up towards her face, staring at them in anguish.
"Their blood is on my hands."
Returning to herself, Raven grimaced at her brother, solemn once more. Swathed in self-loathing and pure disgust. Ashamed.
Bitterly, she commented, "Look at me Adyn...I am a mess. One small incident and I've exploded.", her hands fell to her side, "How would I have helped them anyway?"
That was the issue with bottling up emotions. Supressing them. With one wrong foot, or a slip of the tongue, it all went to hell. In some cases, quite literally. And Raven had been keeping her emotions in check for all too long...at least this time it didn't get that far. Azar knew what the consequences would be.
"Raven, sister,", she looked up at his calm address, "It is not your fault. Do you hear? I just...", he exhaled deeply, "why is there nothing we can do?"
A tear rolled down his cheek, unashamedly. That was one thing Raven would forever respect about her brother, he wasn't afraid to cry in front of those he knew -unlike Raven, who couldn't even cry in front of him.
They passed a moment in utter silence, drowned by soul-consuming thoughts. But silence, not matter how deep, or how valid, must always be broken.
"Adyn,", Raven began, "you know me too well. If there were anything that could be done, I would do it in a heartbeat."
He nodded getting up and walking over to her. Raven, seeing his intentions, leant off of the door, allowing herself the barest hint of a smile at his hopeful expression. The two, like seemingly ordinary siblings, wrapped their arms around each other. A sign of solidarity. That hug, that would have meant virtually nothing to normal brothers and sisters, was the greatest comfort they could give one another.
Adyn was a person who sought help and found happiness in others. He was dependant on others with regards to his emotional state. Raven understood that, it's why she always felt like she was the elder sibling, not him.
Through all that time in Hell, they were supporting one another. And the fact that another of Raven's brothers, Kadaar, was gone...it only strengthened their bond. She would speak about the other though...Tavor was an untouchable subject.
Stepping back, Raven placed a hand on Adyn's shoulder, lips slightly upturned, "Scars don't heal, but wounds do...remember that."
He laughed tearfully, "Always so wise sister, always so wise."
With that, Raven opened up a portal, leaving the room. She wasn't going to her room, no, she was in need of a lengthy meditation session. Otherwise she wouldn't get a decent night's rest: not that she did anyway.
Nightmares...weren't they just wonderful.
A.N
I'm so sorry that this chapter was absolutely shit and all over the place (don't even try to deny it)! And it's only about 1800 words, below the usual like last time. TWO SHITTY CHAPTERS IN ONE ROW! I just...have a lot of issues going on at home and it gets hard. Some of you might understand what I'm talking about.
Anyway, personal issues aside, please could you tell me what you think about swearing being used in this book. Only because I am (as you know) from the UK, and in the UK, swearing is as much a cultural thing as Yorkshire puddings and gravy, so I've been holding myself back from using too many profanities -the struggle is real for us Brits. I just wanted to ask because I know that it might be strange for readers from other countries if I swear too much.
Oh, and please tell be if I end up using phrases or words that aren't used outside of the UK (for example, 'that is an actual piss take' or saying 'are you alright' instead of 'how are you'). I have been having a few issues with restraining myself in that manner so it would be a great help to me if you could just notify me where the issues are :3
Still... Thanks
-Bats :(