#Fiver:Elaine

[springbandit]

"i woke up in paradise... but my heart feels like it’s gone missing." (Fiver & Elaine)

Fiver tilted his head, the words stirring something inside him. A weight pressing on his chest that wasn't quite his own. He fidgeted with his jacket, unsure how to respond, but, knowing he had to say something. "I...I think I understand." his voice was soft and clearly unsure. "Sometimes, even when things seem perfect, something inside feels...wrong. Like you're missing a part of yourself." He could feel his cheeks heating up into a gentle blush, not really sure why. Embarrassed, he looked around the room for a distraction. "It's not just you. It's common. Maybe...Maybe it's an easy fix. I don't know."

@fcrafcrtnight

[springbandit]

Fiver shook his head softly at first. "I don't know anything about a Jake. I just...someone you know must be connected to him. I see the raven around you. That's all I know." But before he could say more, Elaine's grip on his arm tightened, and a terrible jolt surged through him. His entire body stiffened, his breath hitching sharply as his eyes glazed over, wide and unseeing. The vision seized him like a storm, dragging him under. Fragmented images filled his mind: a cage door slamming shut, the sound echoing painfully in his ears. Feathered wings thrashing violently, struggling against the bars of their confinement. He saw ravens descending on a fellow raven, tearing it apart piece by piece. His lips trembled as he groaned, his voice cracking under the strain of what he was experiencing.

"They're coming to take him away!" he rasped, voice distant and strained. "He won't last another night in that room." He screwed up his face, putting his arm over his eyes as if shielding himself from a blinding light that burnt to be exposed to. Then, suddenly, his voice shifted. The cadence changed completely, foreign and authoritative, as if he were someone else entirely. "He needs to be on bedrest. At least until the generators kick in." A moment of silence passed before another voice spoke through, firm and tinged with frustration. "You know as well as I do, he'll never agree to that." And then the first voice returned, insistent and urgent. "You have to speak to him, Gale. You're the only one he might listen to."

The vision snapped away just as violently as it had come, leaving Fiver gasping and trembling. His knees buckled slightly, and he braced himself against the nearest thing he could find to keep himself upright, blinking rapidly as he tried to find footing in reality again. His wide, fearful eyes turned to Elaine, his face pale with confusion and a little bit of embarrassment. "I-I'm sorry." he stammered, voice weak and unsure. "I don't know what came over me...or what it all means. It was just...there, and then it was gone."

@fcrafcrtnight

"ISN'T THAT THE POINT, THOUGH? SOMETIMES.. ALL OF US HAVE TO DO THINGS THAT WE MAY NOT SEE AS GOOD.. FOR THE PEOPLE THAT WE LOVE. THAT'S WHAT MATTERS, ISN'T IT?" because she would have done anything that some may have considered wrong. for her family? for the people that she did love - no matter how few they were? nothing was too much. she'd kill for them. she'd die for them. wouldn't she? yes. her heart nearly stopped at that, as she glanced in his direction. "JAKE? IF YOU SAW THAT RAVEN WHEN YOU FIRST TALKED TO ME.. YOU MUST BE TALKING ABOUT HIM. tell me," not realising she was not gripping his arm. tightly, at that. almost desperate to make things right? something like that, yes. "please. i may have fucked up things with him already, but.. i don't want to see him hurt. i can't. i won't. whatever you know? whatever comes to you? please let me know." nodding. "i want to help you. but we start with jake. i need to know he's safe." @springbandit

[springbandit]

Fiver's expression brightened slightly at Elaine's words. "I like them too," he said softly, his tone carrying a hint of warmth. "Though, I'm not very good at coming up with tricks, myself. They're key to our survival, though. Not everyone can rely on brute strength. Sometimes, cleverness is all you have." When Elaine turned pale at the mention of caging, his gaze softened and he was quick to shake his head. "Oh, no, I didn't mean...not literally. That would be terrible." he said earnestly, "I just meant...like, keeping the raven under supervised care, to keep it safe until it's strong enough to fly again. That's all. It's when they're left alone too long, left to their own devices, that they tend to pluck their own feathers out. They're social animals. Losing their flock can be devastating for them." his words trailed off as he considered the weight of what he was saying, his gaze drifting to his shoes.

Elaine's reassurance about John Kramer pulled him back to the present. He hesitated, but the girm yet protective tonei n her voice gave him some measure of comfort. "Alright," he said softly, nodding. "I'll go. As long as you promise to keep me safe, I'll trust you." His wide eyes met hers, filled with a mixture of nervousness and determination. "We go by the will of the Black Rabbit. If this is where he leads me next, then I have to go." He glanced briefly toward the door, fingers twitching. "Shall we?"

@fcrafcrtnight

"I LIKE THE TRICKSTERS. THEY KEEP EVERYTHING FUN. AND.. I SUPPOSE THAT'S TRUE. EVERYONE NEEDS IT, DON'T THEY? A LITTLE BIT OF WARMTH EVERY NOW AND THEN?" it was what jake did for her. she had always felt so.. cold in the past and now, she had him. he had brought the warmth to her life and no, that was not something that she'd ever be able to repay him for. not right now and not ever. but perhaps she could.. by keeping him SAFE right now. which was precisely what she was going to do but she found herself being protective over fiver as well. perhaps in a certain way, right? yes.

"i'm not.." she turned pale for a second. "i'm not doing that to jake. caging him? no. i've been caged my entire life. i know what that's like better than most people. i'd never do that to him. never. HE DESERVES.. SO MUCH BETTER." considering his question. no, she couldn't say john kramer was a good man. he was not. "he's... he can be reasoned with. he won't be unpleasant to you as long as i'm there. promise." she found herself placing her hand on his arm, nodding a little bit. she felt.. protective over him? maybe. was it because of who he looked like? yes and no. she just did. "he'll listen. i'll make sure he does. SHALL WE?" @springbandit

[springbandit]

Fiver frowned, "You've met him? So you know? How can you...?" he furrowed his brow. "Fine. We can focus on the fox. For now." he hesitated, nose twitching as he thought. "But, if you really do know, maybe you can help me trap the rat. Not hurt him, just...keep him caught. That way, when I have more time, I can figure out what to do."

Fiver felt Elaine’s palm press against his, her touch sending an immediate jolt through him like a bolt of lightning. His body stiffened violently, eyes going impossibly wide as the world around him began to disappear. The hum of the university faded into nothingness, replaced by a deafening cacophony of flapping wings, harsh caws and the relentless scraping of chains dragging across unseen stone. His knees buckled and he fell heavily to the floor, trembling. His vision lost to the dark watercolour haze that overtook him.

As his vision sharpened, he found himself in a grand, oppressive throne room. At the centre, sat the raven. Its feathers were slick with ink that bled onto the stone floor below. On either side of its perch were two faceless royals sat upon thrones. The raven flapped its wings violently. Its feathers were ragged and torn, plucked and cut away. Ink splattered the ground with every movement, pooling at the base of its perch. Fiver tried to get closer, but the raven cawed angrily, making him flinch. The bird's eyes pinned him in place and then with a violent jerk, it tried to swoop down at him.

Fiver stumbled back, gasping as the raven faltered mid-air. Its wings couldn't hold it aloft. It fell, dangling painfully from a thick chain that wrapped sorely around its ankle, binding it to the perch. The raven's cries turned desperate, wings flapping harder as though it could fight free of its chains. Fiver reached out to try and help, but before he could touch it, the raven screeched in terror, feathers bursting outward like shrapnel. The room exploded into chaos, the laughter of the faceless royals few louder, cruel and mocking. "We can't let him leave," one of them intoned, their voice deep and ringing around the room. "If there's no ravens in the tower, the kingdom falls." The others joined in, laughing harder, the sound merging with the raven's cries and the grotesque tearing of feathers. Fiver's vision was overwhelmed with bloodied plumage, ink pooling like tar, the caws that grew sharper and louder until-

Fiver gasped sharply as he snapped back to consciousness, his body drenched in sweat. His trembling hands clawed at the ground beneath him as he tried to steady himself, his entire frame shaking violently. The phantom sounds of the raven's cries and the mocking laughter echoed in his mind. "The raven. He was chained...He...He was being kept there. His wings...something plucked his wings. And his foot," Fiver whispered, recalling what he'd seen. "It's chained. He tried to fly, but, he fell. I tried to help him...I tried." his breath hitched as tears pricked his eyes. "They won't let him go, Elaine. They said if he leaves, everything with fall apart."

He looked at her desperately, searching her face for answers, for something to make sense of what he'd seen. "It's not...not....safe. It's not safe. He's hurting himself trying to survive." Fiver swallowed thickly, eyes darting to the empty space around them, as if expecting the raven to appear. "What do we do?"

@fcrafcrtnight

"NO, NO, YOU WON'T BE. OKAY? NEITHER OF US ARE EVER ENDING UP IN ONE OF THOSE THINGS, YOU HAVE MY WORD ON THAT. IT'S JUST.. WHAT HE DOES TO OTHER PEOPLE." and she was going to leave the fact that she had seen one of those traps work from up close, because.. it wasn't necessary to say it. she couldn't say it. she wouldn't say it. right? shaking his head. "because i've met him, okay? he was an insufferable little man that did not want to be helped and smelled horribly and just drank. trust me. he doesn't want our help and right now, it sounds like you should focus on the fox, no?"

was she just trying to take his attention away from the rest? from that stupid little man? if elaine were to be honest, she had no idea of why it was that he annoyed her so much, but he just.. did. he absolutely, absolutely did and honestly, just.. ugh? clearly. "still? i.. i thought that we were getting somewhere. somewhere good. he seemed alright and i just--" had this all been for nothing? what if she couldn't save him? what then? she nodded immediately, placing her palm against his. "please." @springbandit

[springbandit]

Fiver nodded, though his movements were small and hesitant. "Alice," he echoed softly, the idea grounding him a little further. "If she cares about him, maybe she knows where he might go. Or, at least she might be just as worried as I am." his brows furrowed. "I hope she hasn't given up on him. Nobody deserves that." He glanced up at Elaine, confidence steadying him more than he'd expected. "You think your people can really help?" There was a faint, almost childlike hope in his voice, fragile but sincere. "I don't know how to find her, or where to start, but...if you think this is the way, I'll do it. I'll try." He swallowed hard, voice quieter now. "Thank you, Elaine. For not giving up on me. For helping."

@fcrafcrtnight

"ONE AT A TIME. IT WOULDN'T BE GOOD TO JUST.. GET IT AL MIXED UP, YOU KNOW?" elaine shook her head, because.. right now, she wanted to help. right now, she wanted to help with everything that she had and.. yes, that was it. she felt protective over him. she wanted to make sure he was okay.

"alright. the sheriff first, then. we should talk to his girlfriend. she ought to be looking for him too. and besides? i think that we can find him. get my people out there." everybody will keep suffering.. his words kept going through her head and right now, she was afraid. she absolutely, absolutely was. @springbandit

[springbandit]

Fiver's fingers curled slightly around Elaine's hand as he took in what she'd said. "When they're angry, they want help the most." he repeated softly, trying to fully wrap his head around the idea. His nose twitched, a faint shiver running through him as he thought of the fox. "I think you're right. Maybe he doesn't even know how to say what he needs. If someone could just...reach him.." he trailed off, glancing up at her. "I think I'd like to try. Because...because maybe that's what I needed once too. Someone who didn't give up on me, even when I didn't know how to ask for help." he hesitated for a moment, looking down at their hands. "You believed me, even before it made any sense at all. You make me feel like I can try, even when I don't think I can succeed." He looked up at her, expression soft with a childlike vulnerability. "You didn't give up on me. And, I want to pay that forward."

@fcrafcrtnight

"IN MY EXPERIENCE.. WHEN PEOPLE ARE ANGRY, THAT'S WHEN THEY WANT HELP THE MOST. they just.. how do i say this? they just want help the most and don't know how to ask for it. so.. they lash out, because no one seems to be able to understand them." did she know that from experience? yes, she did, but.. a part of her didn't want to put it out there, because she didn't want fiver to look at her differently. no, she wanted him to look up to her, in a way. yes? "precisely that. maybe all that is needed is someone that understands. you know that, yes?" shrugging a little bit, as she squeezed his shoulder. "helping. it's what i do." @springbandit

[springbandit]

Fiver's smile wavered slightly, her perspective unsettling, yet difficult to refute. He nodded slowly. "Maybe you're right," he said, gaze drifting to the ground for a moment. "I don't think most people mean to be bad. They just...don't think about what's in their way. And sometimes, they destroy things without even realising it."

He shifted uncomfortably at her question about the others, nose twitching at his tried to put the mess of tangled images and feelings into words. "I know there are others. I've seen them in my visions. There's a fox...and a raven. I don't know who they are yet, but, I know they're important. I saw the raven when I first spoke to you." he admitted, glancing up at her cautiously. "But, the sheriff... he's the only one I've been able to pin down so far. The only one I know how to help." He hesitated, fingers tugging at his coat. "The others...they're out there. Hurting. I just need to figure out how to find them, and what they need."

@fcrafcrtnight

"THAT'S WHAT I THINK. THAT'S WHAT I'VE ALWAYS THOUGHT. THERE ARE NO GOOD OR BAD PEOPLE. THOSE THAT SAY THEY ARE GOOD.. THEY'RE RIDICULOUS AND JUST.. FOOLING THEMSELVES." and that was the case, wasn't it? there were no good or bad people and never had been. there were just winners and losers and those that made sure that they did everything that they could to stay on the winning side. right? yes. "one of the only good advices my mother ever gave me, it seems." besides that, she had never been good at parenting or.. anything else, really. right? screw her. "and these others? i don't suppose that their situation has made itself as evident as the sheriff's?" if he knew anything about jake? she wanted to know. @springbandit

[springbandit]

Fiver smiled politely as Elaine spoke, her words pulling at a part of him that really wanted to trust, even if he didn't quite know how. "Maybe you're right." he murmured, voice quiet and thoughtful. "Maybe it's not about being good or bad. Just...being. Being what you feel you have to." Though, with no real friends or family of his own, Fiver wasn't sure he really had to be anything. These strangers that called out to him in his visions, tending to them was the closest he had to any kind of fulfilment.

"Tea does help," he agreed, as if affirming a universal truth. "At least, it gives you a moment to breathe and try to think." It was one of the few human creations he'd come to find himself partial to. Her offer to listen felt like a lifeline, and he clung to it cautiously, unsure how much to share, but grateful for the chance to be heard. "I'd like that," he said earnestly. "To try and figure this out. Not just for the sheriff, but, for all the others." He hesitated for a beat, but then gave a tentative nod towards the hospital. "Yeah, let's go."

@fcrafcrtnight

"WELL, I KNOW A THING OR TWO ABOUT CARING ABOUT PEOPLE AND.. NOT ALWAYS KNOWN THE BEST WAY TO SHOW IT. PERHAPS IT'S TIME I GIVE BACK TO THIS PLACE, AFTER ALL... THAT IT HAS BEEN GIVING ME LATELY." it wasn't as if she wanted to do bad things. yes, she could find a way to justify them in her own head, seeing as for the last couple of months, she had one goal and one goal alone, but.. it wasn't as if she wanted to keep being dragged there. no. she wanted to be what she had always fought to be - respected and.. with the life that she wanted. didn't she? "well, if you ask me.. i don't think there are good or bad people. just people who.. sometimes.. for their own reasons.. must do bad things to survive. that is all. i'd do anything for my daughter. even things that some may consider.. bad." and hadn't she done that? for evelyn, for their family - anything. no matter who was in her way, she'd remove them.

"my mother - well.. i suppose that's the only good thing i got from her. that a cup of tea is always the way to make things better." and she tried not to think of the woman - most days - at least. she hadn't done anything good for her and never had. "well, i'm listening. and i can't say that i understand much of it, but.. perhaps, we can learn together?" normally, she would have an interior motive, but.. not now. the universe had done her a solid by helping her get rid of cecilia - maybe she could pay it back now. "you too, fiver. SHALL WE?" @springbandit

[springbandit]

Fiver blinked, startled as Elaine's hand rested on his arm. It wasn't a gesture he was used to, and for a moment, it made him tense, but, he didn't pull away. Instead, he took a shaky breath, trying to let the grounding gesture bring him back to the moment. His nose twitched slightly as he nodded at her assurance. "Thank you," he murmured, his voice soft but sincere. "For keeping my name out of it. And, for helping him. He does care about her, his partner, even if it doesn't always show." His gaze flickered upward, studying Elaine briefly as he tried to make sense of her kindness. "I don't know if I'm a 'good person'" he added, fidgeting with his coat once again. "I just...feel things. It's hard to ignore someone's suffering when it's so...close. It's so close I have to help, even if I don't know how."

He gave her a small, uncertain smile, glancing at her hand on his arm. "Tea sounds nice. Maybe it'll help clear my head." he hesitated, looking back at her, eyes filled with a cautious hope. "And...maybe you can help me understand all this. Help me help these people. I don't think I've ever had anyone listen before. Not really." He fell quiet for a moment, then added softly. "It's good to meet you too, Elaine."

@fcrafcrtnight

"THAT'S ALRIGHT, DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT. I WILL MAKE SURE TO KEEP YOUR NAME OUT OF IT." she could do that much, couldn't she? sh was no rat and besides, she had a feeling that it was taking a lot out of him to tell her what he was. right? she had a feeling so and.. well, perhaps she felt protective of the kid already. was it because he looked like jake? something of the sort? yeah, maybe.

when she noticed his reaction, she found herself frowning, shaking her head in the process, before placing a hand on top of his arm. as if to help? ground him? maybe. something like that and she wouldn't have been doing this unless there was something in this for her? maybe? or maybe.. she was just being.. kind? yeah. "he cares about this partner of his? then, i have an idea of how to get him to come with me to the hospital. ONE THAT DOESN'T INVOLVE HIM.. DIRECTLY." nodding, as she watched him even more closely. "and all this, for someone that you just met? and here i was, thinking that there were no good people left in the world." was she one of them? no, but.. well. she did have her good moments. right? "it may be. it's good to meet you, fiver, and.. i will do my best. how about that tea, though?" @springbandit

[springbandit]

Fiver nodded slightly at Elaine's statement. He didn't have anything to add and he didn't know her well enough to pry into what she might be referring to. But, her words about the best things in life not wanting to be trapped resonated with him in a way that made his chest tighten. "It's the one across the way," he said softly, pointing in its general direction. "The seedier one, not the one with the dance floor. But...like I said, I can't come with you. I don't want him or his partner to know I had anything to do with this. Please...leave my name out of it."

Fiver fidgeted with the hem of his coat, hands trembling as another wave of unease swept over him. His nose twitched and his eyes glazed over, breathing hitching as a sharp hiss filled his ears, accompanied by a flash of fangs snapping at him. He flinched, taking a small step back, his chest rising and falling quickly as he tried to pull himself back to reality. "The sheriff," he started again, voice shaky from his fright. "He won't be easy to talk to. He's...not in a good place. If he feels like you're prying, he might get violent. Just...be careful. He's hurting, but he doesn't want anyone to know how bad it is. Reputations are a curse, in my eyes."

When she asked how he knew the sheriff and his partner, he hesitated, gaze darting away. "I don't really know them." he admitted, voice quiet and tinged with uncertainty. "I..I bumped into his partner once, and I could just...tell. That he was in a bad way. That's all." It wasn't the full truth, but, it wasn't exactly a lie either. How could he explain what he didn't fully understand himself? He hesitated for a moment before shaking her hand, grip light. "Hrairoo." he said softly. "But, most people call me Fiver. Easier to say, I guess." He pulled his hand back quickly, taking another small step away. "I hope...I hope you can help him. I've done all I can think to do."

@fcrafcrtnight

"I KNOW WHAT THAT FEELS LIKE. THINKING THAT THE SKY IS GOING TO FALL DOWN ON YOUR HEAD. OF DOING.. WHATEVER YOU CAN TO STOP IT. and of course not. all of the best things in life don't want to be trapped in a cage." herself included? yes. that too. looking upwards for a little bit, knowing that.. well, she wasn't about to admit what she was thinking. yes, she had moments of vulnerability and more as of late than she was proud of admitting, but.. that was just it. wasn't it? a lot was going on as of late and she had her happy ending, but it wasn't quite complete or done for just yet. no. she knew what else it was that she had to do. right? "well, i could do with a drink right about now. POINT ME IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION? LOTS OF BARS IN THIS TOWN." and not all of them good, but.. right now, that wasn't that. not in the slightest. why was she doing this? well, she was curious. he looked like jake. was that enough to make her want to help? something like that. yes. perhaps.. this was his brother? something else? "how do you know this sheriff? and his partner, again?" too many questions, perhaps, but this situation called for something like that. didn't it? extending a hand for her to shake. "just what i like to hear. ELAINE PEDERSON." @springbandit

[springbandit]

Fiver blinked at Elaine's question, her words snapping him back to the present. "The sky isn't falling," he said softly, voice carrying a tremor of worry. "It just...feels like it is. All the time." he thought of the raven again, "You can clip a bird's wings to keep it close, but, it only causes dependence. Ravens aren't meant to be domesticated." He screwed up his face, shaking his head for a moment, trying to fight off the feeling that kept grabbing hold of him in waves. He focused on the sheriff, knowing that if he could solve that issue, he'd feel a lot better in his own life too. At least, once he smoothed things over with Alice. "I don't...I don't think I can bring him to you. But, he lives at a hotel not too far from here. And spends a lot of time at the bar across the way." He glanced up at her cautiously, the faintest hint of concern shadowing his expression. "But, I can't come with you. I know his partner, and I wouldn't want her to think I went behind her back. She'd want to be a part of this, but...I don't think she's going about it the right way. It shouldn't be going on so long. It's too dangerous. I'll tell you everything I can, but, please, leave my name out of things." He paused, considering her offer to 'get along' with her. It sounded hopeful. He didn't know where his loyalties lay in all of this, but, if she could help him with these troubling visions - the serpent, the fox and now the raven, maybe he could start feeling a little more like himself. Whoever that was. "Yes, I'd like that. To get along." he agreed softly. "There are others too. Perhaps we could come to some kind of agreement on things."

@fcrafcrtnight

"ARE YOU.. THERE ISN'T SOMETHING ABOUT TO FALL ON TOP OF MY HEAD THAT YOU'RE NOT WARNING ME ABOUT, IS THERE? i'd kindly appreciate the heads up." was she saying that.. she didn't believe that? no, because right now, only a fool wouldn't believe that much. right? very much so. she had seen something about the other that she didn't see much of anywhere and so.. well, she wasn't about to let this go. elaine pederson was nothing if not smart. RIGHT? when she saw an opportunity, she took it. that was simple. "poisoning? perhaps he has been drinking too much? or something? that's what my instinct was telling me, but.. I'D HAVE TO TAKE A CLOSER LOOK. is there any way that you could bring him here? this so called sheriff? perhaps?" way to kill two rabbits with one stone. in one swipe, she could get the new sheriff on her side by saving his life and she could get this one on her side? yes. "alright, i suppose that i can? where can i find him?" because it would have been impossible to find someone like that, wouldn't it? as of right now, she had a feeling that it was. right? "as someone who also wants that, i think we'll get along well?" @springbandit

[springbandit]

Fiver's nose wrinkled slightly as Elaine spoke about her problem with someone else. It made him uneasy, but, not in the way he was used to. It wasn't the kind of danger he was feeling, and that realisation only confirmed that his sense of foreboding wasn't coming from her, despite her protest. But then, as she mentioned Jake, he found himself distracted, flinching suddenly, eyes darting up at the imagined sound of wings flapping above him. A raven swooping over heard, dripping as if painted by watercolours. Gone as quickly as it arrived. He tried to shake it off, heart pounding as he refocused on Elaine. "Sorry...I...I thought I heard something." he muttered, looking up one last time to settle himself before returning to her words. "Oh, I'm not worried about myself. It's the sheriff." he said, voice softer. "He's sick. I can feel it...a pain in his stomach, like...like something's wrong inside him. A great poison. Last I saw him he could barely stand up, was giving another man a good telling to at the ball. I haven't seen him again since, but, I don't think he's the type of man who'd ever come here off his own back." His hands returned to fidgeting with the zipper of his coat, an unconscious habit when he felt out of place. "People say he and I look alike too, but...I don't think we're family. Just part of this...warren...of things that are important. That...That need help." He looked at her with a pleading look in his eyes, wondering if his words meant anything to her given she too had mentioned a likeness of his features. "Could you....Could you help him? Even if he doesn't want it I...I fear he might die." With Elaine circling back to wanting to hear his 'side' of things, he looked down, brow knitting in confusion once again. "I don't really have a side. I'm not even sure what that would be. I don't know what you'd want to hear. My side to what? I'm not part of all of this, I just...experience these things...I don't cause them. I just want to make them better."

@fcrafcrtnight

"I CAN ASSURE YOU IT'S ME. her deluded little brain may still think that she can win over me, despite the fact she's done nothing but lose. it's pathetic. i can handle it and her.." hadn't she done that last time? with a particularly sharp knife and boy, had it felt good. if anything, she was just sad that she hadn't aimed anywhere else and that she hadn't made sure that the other was going to pay for what she had done. right? in a more permanent way, but there was always time for that. "but it's my family i may be concerned about. just a couple of days ago, she hurt an innocent girl, all because she can't stand that her father doesn't want to be with her any longer. and jake.. i worry." not that she wouldn't do whatever she had to and whatever it took to protect him - she always was going to, because he was family now and.. no, that wasn't ever going to be any different. "yes? it's just over there," her face brightened up immediately. "i'm the director. i own the whole place, but.. yes, i'm a doctor. and who is this sheriff? what we do is help people. if that's what he needs, we'd be more than happy to see what we can do? is he.. family to you?" raising an eyebrow at that. yes, she could see most things and she was good at being observant, but... some things, even she had a hard time getting to know. not that she didn't make it happen. of course she did. "everyone has a side to something. i'd be more than happy to hear yours?" @springbandit

[springbandit]

Fiver smiled in earnest at Elaine's kind words. "Thank you. Frith's story is the best of all. I really do want to believe it's real. It gives me something to hold onto when everything else feels dark. I'll have to tell you about El-Ahrairah sometime, I think you'd like him. He's kind of a trickster, but, his stories always teach us something." Shifting back to the subject of the raven, Fiver hesitated, fingers twitching lightly as he considered his words carefully. "Not trapped, no." he muttered, "But, sometimes...untamed birds need to be caged for a while. Not forever, just untul they calm down enough to see things clearly. I've seen some with rings on their feet. Maybe that's where we're at with the raven."

With Elaine offering to take him to Kramer's office, his nervousness crept back in, knowing he'd be out of his depth all over again. "I...I'd appreciate that," he said softly. "But, what's he like? I don't know anything about him, and strangers can be so..." his voice trailed off, gaze darting away for a moment as he tried to gather himself. "I mean, will he even want to hear me out? Foxes and masquerades...it all sounds so...silly. I think I'm already over my head." His gaze returned to Elaine, searching her expression for reassurance. "If you think this is the right path to follow, then I'll trust you. I have to. The trail's led me this far, hasn't it?"

@fcrafcrtnight

"THAT'S... BEAUTIFUL," it took a lot to take the words right off her mouth and right now, that was precisely what had just happened. maybe because this was personal. maybe because she had no idea of what she was supposed to do, but.. one thing was for sure. she was going to save jake. no matter what it took, no matter who stood in the way - nothing mattered more than saving HIM. did it? of course not. "and perhaps it is. i.. i don't want him to feel trapped. and i know that it's not because of me, that's it because of the past, but.. i'll find a way to make him see that it's okay. THAT HE CAN LET GO. THAT IT'S NOT UP TO HIM TO DO ALL THIS ALONE NOW. that he has someone that loves him and that will stand by him through.. well, through fucking everything, really." wasn't that the case?

yes, it was and there was nothing that she wouldn't have done to keep him safe. nothing. "i know where he works. i can take you to his office, if you'd like? it's not far from here." and kramer had been a problem before so hopefully, this'd get him off her trail. "off the heath. got it," she nodded. if push came to shove? she could find him. she would. "and you don't have to thank me. if anything, it's the other way around. before jake, i.. i didn't think i could ever love someone like that again. he changed.. all of that. i don't know what it'd do if i lost him, so.. thank you." @springbandit

[springbandit]

Fiver shivered slightly as she spoke. She knew her danger, she was certain of it. That realisation only served to confuse him further. If she knew, then maybe the bad danger he felt wasn't actually from her...but from someone close to her. The panic, the sense of being hunted. It wasn't real, at least not here. Not yet. He flinched as her tone sharpened, eyes widening as she pressed him for answers about Jake. He didn't know what to tell her, he didn't know much of anything beyond what he felt and what she'd told him. "I...It's just this feeling I have. Like something's coming. But, maybe it's not you..." He trailed off, visibly unsettled by his own thoughts. "Hospital cafeteria?" he repeated cautiously, knowing he'd been dismissed or called mad before. He didn't want to walk willingly into some kind of trap. "Are you...are you a doctor? Or a nurse? I just...maybe you could help the sheriff. He's sick, but, I don't know what to do about it. What do you do when they won't do anything?" he glanced down, feeling foolish for asking, knowing she didn't have the details he did and it would only take all day to try and transfer all of the information over in a way that made sense to both of them. When Elaine mentioned his side of the story, he looked up again, confusion written on his face. "I..I don't really have a side to anything. But...if it'll help. I'll tell you what I can."

@fcrafcrtnight

"I SUPPOSE THAT THE ANSWER WOULDN'T PRESENT ITSELF TO ME THAT EASY. THAT'S ALRIGHT. I'LL BE FINE." and she would survive, but.. goddamn it, would it have been too much to ask to get the answer to get rid of her snake problem? the one that had been haunting her in here? was it? everything else was in place, but.. maybe, she just had to get rid of this one problem. the one that was going to keep on bothering her, until she stumped on it. FOR GOOD. "i know precisely what the danger is. or who it is, actually," just the thought of that little bitch made her want to vomit. something else. "and mayors? like jake? WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT HIM? HE'S MY BOYFRIEND. I LOVE HIM. I'M NOT LETTING ANYTHING HAPPEN TO HIM." if anyone wanted to get anywhere near him? they'd pay the price. a very big one, at that. "follow me. we have the best cafeteria inside the hospital. on the house," being kind, every now and then, paid off. didn't it? "no one has bothered to listen to your side of the story, have they? i think i'd like that. help or not." @springbandit

[springbandit]

Fiver perked up, a faint smiling at the corner of his lips. "Where I come from," he began softly, voice warm and filled with a quiet reverence, "we worship the sun. Lord Frith, we call him. He gave us the gift of life, of the day, and of hope. Perhaps that's why the raven fares so well in the sky. It's when he's closest to Frith, closest to those gifts." he shrugged slightly, gaze turning thoughtful. "I'm not sure how much I believe in all that now, being here, like this. But...I suppose I still carry that hope."

Her mention of the fox having a daughter pulled him back to the present, brows furrowing in a concerned curiosity. "A daughter? Are you sure?" he hadn't seen any other foxes, but, he supposed he was willing to take in any and all information, for chance it might lead him somewhere. "Do you know where I can find her? Or him, if he'll take me to her. If he knows something about the fox, I suppose I have to follow that trail." his gaze was resolute, despite the clear nervous energy that still clung to him.

Taking Elaine's number from her, he folded the paper carefully. "I'll keep it safe." he promised, though a sheepish look crossed his face, knowing quietly that he didn't have a phone. "If I see anything else about the raven, I'll be sure to find you. And if you need me urgently, I'm not usually far away. I live in those underground apartments just off the Heath." He hesitated for a moment. "Thank you," he said sincerely. "For understanding. For believing me. I don't know where all of this is leading, but...having someone who sees it too, well, that makes it feel a little less...lonely."

@fcrafcrtnight

"YEAH, IT IS. AND INCREDIBLY UNAPPRECIATED. WE SPEND SO MUCH TIME DOWN HERE AND.. SOMETIMES, NOT EVEN APPRECIATING THE REST. WHAT'S UP THERE. SOMETHING AS SIMPLE AS THE STARS. it was.. it was jake that made me stop and think twice about all of that. about seeing the beauty on the smallest of things." shaking her head. no, she hadn't meant to admit that out loud but there was something about fiver that just left her at ease. perhaps it was who he looked like. who he reminded her of. something of the sort, yes. "i think you're right. we do. we.. we will. i'll make sure of that." she made a mental note to call that contact about getting that plane - and.. only the best of the best. perhaps fiver was right. perhaps that was what they needed. perhaps that was how she showed him that they were going to be okay. that there was.. life, after all of that. something that she needed a reminder of too. "i can assure you that he knows. last time i checked, he was dating your.. fox's daughter. the girl means nothing herself, but.. KRAMER MIGHT KNOW WHERE HE IS." she considered his question, fingers tracing the pattern on her blazer. "i'll take care of him. don't worry. just.. if you see anything else?" she removed a paper from her desk, writing down her phone number. "call me. anytime, any day. nothing matters more than his safety. HE'S.. HE'S EVERYTHING TO ME. i'm not losing him." @springbandit

[springbandit]

Fiver blinked idly for a few moments, her words pulling him in opposing directions. A shadow over her family...He felt the weight of that without even needing to know the details. But her suggestion about tea caught him off guard, her offer tinged with a chill that made him instinctively wary. "I...I really don't know how to make shadows go away." he sputtered, shifting his weight as his eyes never really seemed to find one place to settle for more than a few mere moments. "I can just...feel them, I guess. Sometimes, I can tell if they're stronger or if they're starting to fade. But, I don't know how to get rid of them. Or what exactly the bad danger that's coming after you even is. I can just feel...the pressure...like being...hunted. Sheriffs and mayors...the lost...leading the way...serpents and ravens..." He stared off into nothing for a few moments, trembling before finding his way back to reality and out of his own head. "A cup of tea...that sounds nice, I suppose." his gaze softened and he took a step forward, trying to walk away from his prior feelings. "But, I still don't think I'll be much help. Sometimes these things linger for a reason. And forcing them away might...might make them fight back."

@fcrafcrtnight

"HOW UNFORTUNATE. to lose your memories of who you are just like that.. i can't even begin to imagine. and you do look a lot like him. younger, of course, but.. the resemblance is there. are you sure you don't know of him? jake green? the new mayor?" did she care? well, no, because the other was nothing to her in the slightest but this was.. curious, in so many ways. was it because he looked like jake that she was giving him the time of day? maybe it was. or maybe, she did have a keen sense of opportunity and right now, it was almost being put through the roof. wasn't it? yes. "i don't know of any sheriff, no. hm. and he looks like you? how.. interesting. i'll have to ask jake if he knows about this individual." eyebrow raising at that, as she stopped where she was. did she want to know more? yes, because what he had said wasn't all that wrong, was it? no. "it does make a lot of sense. there is a shadow hanging over me. over my family. try as i might, i haven't been able to get rid of her... yet. perhaps you'd have any idea as to how i can make that happen? i'd be very interested. perhaps over a nice, warm cup of tea? it's quite cold here." @springbandit