Aurora - Rean Heart

[awakenerd]

You float in a void--darkness around you, above, below, in every direction, nothing. You stand on nothing, you even breathe nothing. But you do not feel in danger, you are not suffocating. You are simply existing in… Nothing.

Crow | Towa | Dusk | 80H | Rufus

Comments

[awakenerd]

For now that does not seem to trigger any kind of murder? Maybe it did work.

What is definitely happening is Rean crying against her in great sobbing hiccups, keening and seeming like he might never stop.

[voreaciously]

She gently, patiently pets his hair and does not hush him. She imagines there's so much he needs to let out.

She will wait for as long as it takes.

[awakenerd]

It takes a while. She isn't wrong. There's a lot to cry about, and when he's done he looks worn with red rimmed eyes and dark circles, just leaning on her shoulder in exhaustion.

[voreaciously]

She holds his head with superbly gentle care.

[awakenerd]

"....."

He's quieted now, all the tears wrung out, for the time, and nothing to say in the wake of them. But he accepts the comfort of her hold without complaint.

[voreaciously]

She is content to hold him here for as long as he needs, truly needs. There is nothing less than patience in her embrace. He can be here for as long as he wishes.

[awakenerd]

It's a long time. Maybe as long as it took to bury the bodies. How many months has she been here in this one place?

But he finally seems to relax and sit up.

[voreaciously]

She believes she can shoulder his feelings, so she does. It is beautifully simple. When he seems to stop, she brushes back his cheeks her thumbs, her fingers slow and smooth.

"Better?"

[awakenerd]

He nods, closes his eyes, and leans into her touch, despite having been leaning on her he still seems to yearn for the contact.

"Thank you."

His voice is horse, but he's been crying for like a year.

[voreaciously]

"You do not need to thank me. I told you I was being selfish, remember? I did it all for myself."

She wills the bone throne to be broken down--she'll bury those as well--and wills a much more comfortable couch into being.

[awakenerd]

What type of couch?

Rean shakes his head.

"It doesn't matter what you say. I'm grateful."

[voreaciously]

A chaise, actually!

"...Very well. I suppose I can make an allowance. The flowers are acceptable?"

[awakenerd]

"They're beautiful."

[voreaciously]

"Ah, well...if you think so that is what matters."

She is a little pink in the face, BUT SHE'S STILL CRADLING HIM SO HE CAN'T SEE!!!

"I know what you said about needing to be controlled, but it seems clear to me that that can be done without literally chaining you to a, frankly, what looked more like a torture device than a proper chair." Which was probably the point!! But she doesn't like it.

[awakenerd]

"...I appreciate it..."

1/3

[voreaciously]

She thinks once more, imagines a beautiful blue lake where they are, something before all the graves begin. In the lake are many types of fish, easy catches and incredibly challenging ones.

She also imagines all the gear he will need, including a rod, and this is where she gets incredibly particular: the power of the chains, now rings, will now be in the rod and he will not be able to move without the rod, it must be held or withing three feet of him at all times. (He might not feel like fishing on a rare occasion!), unless he is in the house, in which case, chain transference will be to the house itself

It will keep him put in place of the rod, so he can move about more freely without a fucking fishing rod all the time. He also, as before, cannot leave the bounds of this place.

Not until he breaks the curse, doing what he set out to do.

She continues and the scenery around them shifts even more: they're now in a well-built, cozy cabin with comfortable seating and nice tables, a good fireplace, a wall rack for even more fishing gear! And a bookshelf with pictures of Randy and Crow. There are other trappings to make this place really warm and welcoming.

"There. That should do."

[voreaciously]

"Oh, I almost forgot."

3/3

[voreaciously]

She adds a sign outside the cabin "Rean's Rage Lives Here, Please do not free under any circumstance. Thank you.

(Yes, I know, but it is true.)"

"There. Now I think it's done."

[awakenerd]

All this happens and he just watches, looking perplexed, from the scenery to her, back to the scenery, to her, back.

He's having a hard time coming to terms with such a drastic shift, but not because he hates it.

"...."

Certainly the air is clearer, it's not so oppressive, it seems more peaceful and gentle here and certainly more comfortable.

[voreaciously]

She feels anxious, suddenly.

"I-I can change it, if you do not like it...ah, what would you prefer? I should have asked you that first, my apologies."

[awakenerd]

"No.... No this is..." Perfect "Fine."

[voreaciously]

She's trying to keep her feelings in check because she doesn't want to alter the soulscape but it's challenging.

"You would tell me if it were not, yes?"

Objectively, she thinks it must be better than before, with nothing but corpses and misery for company, but she doesn't want to do the bare minimum, does not want to be mediocre.

[awakenerd]

Sorry you're like at the one part of Rean that's more tsun than dere.

"I said it's fine."

A little grudgingly he reaches up to pat her head.

"You worked hard, I appreciate it."

1/2

[voreaciously]

!!!

[voreaciously]

She's just blushing scarlet, right now, not at all fighting against those pats.

"A-ah, w-well, it was nothing, really...I am glad you like it."

Just like mmmmmmonths of work, but it's fine it's whatever.