creator_raven | (no subject)

Entry tags:

lilly,
oom

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It is a rather pleasant day, all things considered, and Raven is amusing himself by sprawling comfortably on a rock by the lake.

He leans back on his elbows, looking up at the sky.

His feet are bare.

There is a plate of cookies resting at the base of the rock, but no milk.

Raven does not trust himself not to spill it.

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Pleasant enough that Lilly's outdoors, too. She spots him and heads over after a moment's hesitation.

"What up, sai?"

It takes a moment for Raven to respond, and he turns his head to watch her out of wide black eyes.

"Lilly. It is well enough, perhaps. Things go?"

"They generally do," Lilly replies, settling herself next to him.

"How are things going with you?"

"Reasonably well, I think."

He shrugs carelessly.

"It is not always bad to get away, I do not think."

And sometimes it is.

"You were away?"

Lilly eyes him.

"Cause I kinda thought you didn't do that much. And-"

Tig said you were weird with her

"What's going on, Raven?"

"Coyote died."

He smiles faintly, leaning back a little farther, face tipped up toward the sky.

His eyes are closed.

"It was hardly the beginning, so."

Lilly's eyes go wide, her mouth hanging open.

"Coyote died?"

Granted, she didn't know her as much as she knew of her, but... still.

"Uh. What?"

Raven doesn't move much, though he continues speaking, voice soft and almost light.

"There is a woman, here, who wears my blood in a pendant around her neck. Blodwen Rowlands, yes? It is not a wise thing for her to have done--not wise at all."

He crosses his legs at the ankles, wiggling his toes.

"There are others she has harmed, perhaps. I am not so good at paying attention."

He wrinkles his nose, but only for a moment.

"It is a thing Coyote objected to, I think."

"I've heard of her," Lilly says slowly, remembering Puck's warning.

"I didn't- she has your blood? And Coyote, did she try to get it back? Can Blodwen hurt people with it? Can she hurt you?"

Raven shrugs again, leaning back a little farther.

"I do not know what Coyote was trying for, I do not think. We are not often much alike."

He stretches his legs out, toes pointed down.

"As to the rest--I am caged all the time, now. It grates, perhaps."

He turns his head finally, looking at her out of very old eyes.

"As to harm--I will know it if she does, so."

Lilly goes quiet at his words. Caged. They've talked about that before. She's felt that before, though never as deeply as Raven seems to.

Her planned talk with him, the one about How Not To Upset Princesses While Teaching Them Important Lessons, is abandoned.

"I'm sorry, Raven. Is- is there anything I can do?"

His smile is wry.

"Leave Blodwen alone, perhaps. And I am always glad of company."

It will be enough.

It will have to be.

"I really don't ever want to meet her," Lilly says fervently.

Someone who can hurt gods that Puck's wary of? Yeah, no thanks.

"And as for the company, well. That's a given."

For a moment, brief but true, Raven's smile is very sweet.

"Thank you."

He waves one hand vaguely in the direction of the plate.

"There are cookies, I think. If you are hungry."

Lilly takes one, more for something to do with her hands than any real hunger. Sitting by the lake with him has just reminded her of something.

"Does it- do you feel any better when you're flying?"

He laughs quietly, tilting his head to look at her.

"Mostly, I think."

Beat.

"You are wanting to, perhaps?"

"Well, duh," Lilly says, smiling a little more now.

"I mean, I flew a spaceship the other day, but it's totally not the same thing. And I figured you could maybe use a little company in the sky, too."

He doesn't quite bounce to his feet, but he certainly sits up quickly enough.

"It is a yes, then."

And he begins fishing in his pockets for a feather.

"A hell yes," Lilly corrects, finishing off her cookie and getting to her feet.

"Let's hope I remember how to do this, huh?"

"It is not so difficult, perhaps."

Raven grins, holding out the feather.

"Though I might always tell you again."

He's laughing, now, just a little.

Lilly takes the feather, grinning back at him.

"You probably should, or else I'm just going to be standing here twiddling the feather for no reason and... that sounds dirty. So. how does this go again?"

He laughs brightly, ruffling his hair with one hand.

"You must think 'bird' to grow feathers, and 'Lilly' to change back. Trust to the instincts of the body, and I will launch you from my arm, yes? Also you might try from the rock, if you prefer. It is possibly high enough."

Possibly.

"Okay, then."

Lilly closes her eyes, thinking of birds and flight and her memories of doing this before. There's an odd shrinking and lightening sensation, and then she's flapping glossy black wings and trying to remember how to perch on Raven's arm.

Hey, I think I've got it!

"So you do, I think."

He shifts the position of his arm, giving her a moment to settle.

Then he flings her skyward, following after with a raucous caw.

It sounds like laughter.

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