creator_raven | (no subject)

(no subject)

It has been some time since he has seen at least one of his sisters.

Given this one's tendency to get lost in her own head, Raven is likely not best pleased.

Possibly that is why Moiraine will find her study door tugged open, and her couch full of obnoxiously cheerful Bird.

Also cookies.

More cookies than even Raven can eat in a day.

There is no tea.

"You are not so much for hermiting, yes?"

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She was aware from the moment the wards recognized him, and as a result there is no surprise in the look that Moiraine directs at him.

"I would not call it so, no."

Raven snorts.

"That is, I think, because you are very good at quibbling."

Hah.

Take that, Aes Sedai.

He is only a little smug.

"I may speak no word that is not true," she reminds him.

Again.

"How are matters with you, Raven?"

Raven just wrinkles his nose, flicking a cookie at her head.

There is a lot of icing on it.

"Hedging is not so bad a word, yes?"

He blinks.

"Also avoiding? Dictionaries are very useful."

Moiraine ducks, and the cookie goes sailing by. It hits the wall behind her and shatters into a pile of crumbs, sticky with icing.

"So they might well be, for those who have need of them."

This is said with perfect serenity. It appears that the Aes Sedai has developed a few skills suitable for coping with such a creature as Raven.

Raven does not laugh.

Really.

"You are more for memorizing, perhaps?"

"When need be."

A pause, and a very faint sigh.

"I note that you did not answer my question."

Raven grins cheerfully, and eats a cookie.

"We are much alike, you and I. So."

"In several ways, perhaps," she admits, after a moment.

"Although I suspect there are those who might be surprised by such a thing."

For a fleeting moment there is more affection than cheer in Raven's smile.

Then he sits back, looking smug again.

"That, I think, is often because people are stupid."

Beat.

"Also you are not so bad at faking, yes?"

Raven himself is entirely genuine. Always.

Really.

She is silent for several seconds, considering him.

"I am the person that I am, Raven."

Very quietly said, and Moiraine is very, very still.

He watches her, head tilted, black eyes wide and bright.

"That is not so much a surprise, Moiraine."

His smile is crooked.

"I am not so stupid."

"I do not think that I have ever said that you were," she returns, with perfect serenity.

"No."

He makes a face at her.

"You are also not that stupid."

"I should hope not," the Aes Sedai returns.

"Else I would not have survived this long."

There is a flicker of darkness in the dark eyes, although she makes no mention of it.

Raven snorts.

Then, because he can, and because they are both there, he bumps her shoulder with his.

It is only a little awkward, because she is tiny.

"It will be longer yet, I think."

Her lips curve in a very faint smile, although there is no humor in it.

"The Wheel weaves."

He snorts, flicking her forehead lightly.

"Also there is me, yes? So."

"So it would seem."

It says much, really, that Moiraine does not withdraw or pull away from Raven's casual action. Instead, she lets out a faint sigh and asks,

"Would you like tea?"

Raven considers this.

Then he considers Moiraine.

Then, grinning more than a little, he shoves her toward the couch.

"I am not so bad at making things, I do not think. So."

He promises not to overload her cup with sugar.

Really.

Both eyebrows rise in startled surprise, but Moiraine allows herself to be pushed, and settles on the sofa with more grace than Raven's push would seem to allow for.

"If you insist," she says, tranquilly.

Raven just snorts, fingers toying idly with the trailing threads of his sleeve.

This would be the point at which Moiraine finds her lap festooned with blue leopard-print bunny slippers.

Well, just one pair of them. Still.

Now. Where were Moiraine's tea things?

Without hesitation, she embraces saidar and channels.

Bare seconds later, the slippers are neatly placed beneath the couch.

Moiraine folds her hands in her lap and waits, perfectly composed.

Raven appears not to notice, very carefully paying attention to the boiling water.

There is still a pair of slippers in Moiraine's lap, however.

In addition to the pair under the couch.

"Do not think that it will work, Raven."

Calmly spoken, as Moiraine sets this second pair to the side.