Winter 2009: Sooraya

[wingyding]

{apologies for the lateness}

A Visit From Orlando


Raya: Raya curled into a chair beside the fireplace, having a half-hearted conversation with Ben over hot cocoa. She listened with a light smile, just a litle tinged with her worry about not being able to get ahold of her aunt on the phone. She'd discovered the reason for Orli's absence: bills. It figured. Still she wished he'd call her sometime.

Ben: Ben laughed as he told her about Quentin and Nurse Ratched and the expression on her face as Ben had finally told her off. It was good to be with friends for the holidays, and even better to just be with friends and be laughing. He told her about the songs he had been writing on his way home and how they differed greatly from his previous works.

Ben: No more sad or sappy songs, no more hysterical 'why me' type songs. Instead they all seemed up beat. "it's like...God, or fate, or my soul or something just kicked my brain and said: 'listen, i know you've had it bad, but there's still good left in the world.' And so I started writing about that..." he shrugged.

Raya: Raya listened quietly, and moderately happily, swirling the dark liquid in her cup. "That's a good reason to write songs. And a good take on life all in all." She smiled at him, only a little distracted, and lightly fake-punched his arm. She sucked her lip between her teeth. It was getting late. maybe she ought to turn off her phone, so she didn't waste her battery. "I'm glad your're back from...everywhere."

Orlando: Orli crunched his way up the snowy drive, glad he'd used his head--for once in his life--and worn the gloves he was always forgetting he had. School looked huge, from what he could see of it in the waning light, and he sure hoped Raya was in there somewhere and not off cavorting around with people.

Ben: Ben cracked his knuckles and sighed, enjoying the fire. "So how's your winter break so far?" Ben was careful not to say Christmas break. He knew it wouldn't outright offend her, but he knew she wasn't exactly celebrating Christmas so it was unfair to call it that kind of break for her. At least, that's how he felt. "And have you been enjoying the snow?"

Raya: "Yeah, kind of. It's been good, hanging out with everyone that stayed. The snow out here is so much softer, and whiter than city snow. Even back home it'd turn kind of grey and slushy." She tried another smile, but it ended up falling a little short as she looked into the still-steaming mug. "Are you looking forward to anything with your family?"

Orlando: Orli peeked into the next window, after he'd made his way around the patio. There she was, his girl. Even if she really wasn't his girl. He rapped on the glass excitedly, practically banging on the pane with his gloved fist.

Ben: "Well, I decided it was time to patch things up with you gu-" He stopped and heard the noise against the pane of the glass. "I knew I wouldn't be the only to get locked out!" He said hopping up. He flew to the door and opened it.

Ben: Surprised to see Orlando, specifically someone he didn't know, he stepped back, half expecting the boy to break out into caroling or worse, telling him about the joys of Jesus in "this magical time of the year." "Hi!" Ben said simply.

Raya: Raya chuckled lightly at Ben's exclamation of being locked out, looking up a minute after she'd pulled her sleeves down. And her jaw did drop at the sight she was greeted with. "Orli! How did you get here, how did you know how to find me?!" She stood quickly, almost breaking into a run before she got across the room and to the boys, squeezing the newer one in a tight hug. Her words were muffled from his coat, but her body language was clear as crystal.

Orlando: Orlando was a bit surprised when he found the door opened by someone decidedly not Raya, but held the 'who're you' back until after he'd at least been let inside. "Oh, um, h- Raya!" The breath was damn neaar knocked out of him as she came pelting at him and caught him in a hug. "Hi to you, too. Miss me that much?" He patted her head softly.

Ben: Well, Ben thought, everyone's got somebody huh? "Y'want me to leave you two to catch up Raya?" Ben asked politely.

Raya: She pulled away from her long-time friend and rubbed her hands over her face. She didn't want to completely lose it in front of Ben, at least not right now. "Oh, um, um. Yeah. This is Orlando. Orli, Ben. Orli's been a really good friend since...well, since I can remember." She blushed at the assumption in Ben's voice.

Orlando: Orli merely raised an eyebrow as he pried Raya off his windpipe, settling one arm around her shoulder. "Well, hi, Ben. You go to class in this place with Raya?" He enjoyed that she was still the person she was, and still blushed so easily. Even if she tried harder to hide it. He stuck his hand out to shake Ben's.

Ben: Ben chose to shake his hand quickly and then bowed to him as he had learned in Japan. "Good to meet you Orlando. And yes, I go to school here. You joining us for Christmas?"

Orlando: "For the winter, i thought I'd stay awhile, if that's within the rules of this place." He looked around the room, impressed with the subtlety of decoration. He'd have thought it might have screamed Christmas card a bit more. He cocked his head at Ben's odd greeting, tightening his loose hold on Raya's shoulder, curling his arm a little more around her.

Ben: "It's more than welcome here I'm sure. I'd say clear it with the professor, but if he didn't want you here you probably wouldn't have made it to the front door, let alone know where the building was."

Ben: With that Ben led the two back to the room they were once in. He offered Orlando either Cocoa, Cider, or egg nogg.

Orlando: Orli wasn't entirely sure if he was supposed to augh at that or not. He settled for a small smile at the offered drinks, taking cider with a nod.

Raya: Raya smiled at Ben and at Orli, looking between them contemplatively. One old friend, one new. That couldn't have been much clearer, but she wondered what it would say to Ben if she did what she wanted to and clung to Orlando. It must have been odd when she'd hugged him without any introduction. Her brow furrowed slightly as she thought, looking between the boys.

Ben: Ben poured himself some of the cider and sipped it as well. Hot dang, that stuff was good. He sat down in the chair he was in before and looked to Orlando. "So, Orlando, you must have some feelings for Raya to just pop up... in winter, in New York, at the Holdiays." Ben realized he sounded like a brother giving an interview.

Orlando: "Oh, I do. We've known each other for a very long time, since we were children. It took me a while to get myself together enough to come, but here I am." He noticed Raya looking strange and steered her towards the brick hearth, where he sat.

Orlando: "She's my little sister, Raya. Always been around, and usually following me." His tone was long-suffering and pitiful, but his face was a wide grin as he ribbed at his friend. "She said not many people were staying over for the holiday."

Raya: Raya was pulled back into the real world at the words, which made her blush worsen. She turned her face down, shayla letting a few stray locks brush her face, as she tried to control it. "Yeah, but there's more people upstairs. They went to bed early." How could this be embarrassing? She had her friends around her; if only one of them would stop trying to make her blush it would be easier.

Ben: "Well yeah, but not anywhere near as many as there usually is however." Ben added. "Though having her boyfr-er brother person at school is probably nice." Ben thought of Nate and hung his head, realizing once again how badly he'd messed up. "Wish I knew the feeling."

Raya: "he's not my boyfriend!" Raya's head jerked up from its previous position as she stared at Ben. "And he never has been. Just a really good friend." She really didn't feel up to eplaining why anyone had the idea of her with a boyfriend to Orli. Really didn't.

Ben: Ben held up his hands. "Okay, okay, I get it." Ben smiled. "Just saying, it's always good to have loved ones for the Holidays. Especially when you can't be home." he added.

Orlando: Orli chuckled lowly at the quick defense from Raya, wondering what had gotten into her to make her retort that fast. "We're just close." He moved closer to Raya and practically cradled her upper half in his arms, pulling her shoulders back and squeezing lightly.

Raya: She made a soft sound at the sharp contrast in cold shoulders and her best friend's warm hands. He'd pretty much always had hot hands and had pretty much always used that to relax her. Raya shook her head at the pull, trying to pass it off and act like this was completely normal. It wasn't.

Ben: Ben's eyes drifted off to pretend that he too saw the situation as completely normal. "Yeah so, you guys gonna go to Times Square and see the tree? Do some Ice Skating? Make a snow man? 'Cuz if not I was gonna watch Charlie Brown Christmas later." He grinned at them happily.

Raya: Raya glanced over her shoulder at her friend and attempted to appraise what he'd consider doing. "I think maybe...Orli probably wants to settle down, the flight's pretty long to get here. Maybe we can skate or something tomorrow?" She offered, hoping it would put Ben off of asking again until she could get what Orli was doing here sorted out. "Might catch up with you for charlie brown, though." And....yeah, that used to be a muscle. Her back tensed as it melted back into place.

Ben: Ben took the hint and nodded. "Okay. I'll see you guys later then maybe." He stood up from his chair and turned to Orli. Bowing in his now typical Japanese/Tibetan fashion, he picked up his cider and waved to them both. "G'night! Happy holidays and what not."

[Ult_Sm86]

YAY!!

Orlando gets to visit.


.... Good luck.

[stjohn]

Raya waited impatiently for the cider to heat up, watching the cinnamon stick lazily float around the edge of the shallow pan. She hummed something that might have been vaguely holiday-ish, fidgeting with her bracelets and fighting not to pick at the henna on her hands.

Eve walked down the hall and into the kitchen. He noted the an unfamiliar face at the stove, and dug into the fridge to find meat and cheese for a sandwich.

"Hi. Are you here for someone over the break?" If the part of the body she could see from around the fridge door was any clue, the...uh, guest was quite tall. And muscular. Raya tried not to stare very much.

"No." He pulled out some ham and cheese and closed the door. Eve walked to the counter, got some bread from the bread box, and started to put his sandwich together.

"So then what are you here for?" She turned around to follow him moving across the kitchen, pouring herr cider into the waiting mug and picking out the clove bits with a spoon. She watched him, not closely, but a little more carefully than not.

"School." Eve took a bite, laid the sandwich on a napkin, and walked back to the fridge, pulled out the milk jug and poored a glass.

Rogue came into the kitchen, her left hand toying with her 'sweetheart' bracelet on her right wrist, a smile on her face as soon as she saw the two occupants. "Hey, Raya. Hey, Eve."

"Sup. Milk?" He asked still holding the jug.

"Hey, Rogue." Her bracelets clinked when she moved her arms, raising the mug to drink, but Raya turned and smiled at the new arrival to the room. "Eve, huh? Short for something?"

"Nah, Ah'm good. Thanks." She went straight for the recipe book. "In a cookin' mood though. Y'all want anythin' in particular?" She started to flip through different recipes and pausing on a few different ones, considering them.

"Yes." Eve said to Raya and grinned inwardly; he then walked and put the milk away. "No thank you."

"Talked ta Bobby yet, Eve?" Rogue kept flipping, "Raya, y'all want anythin'? Ah could make sweets if y'all ain't up f' a meal... Ah need ta keep mah hands busy." She glanced at her bracelet again and frowned some before going back to the book.

"I just ate. But thanks." Raya cocked her head, looking at her rippled reflection in her drink. And Bobby says I'm literal. "What's it short for?" she asked as she sat on a high stool at the bar.

"Everret." He walked back, picked up his sandwich, and sat across from Rogue, looking at the pictures as she flipped through. "No." He saw a dessert he liked and put a finger on it.

Rogue raised her eyebrows as Eve stopped her flipping. She looked down at the page and gave a nod of approval at the cookie cake recipie. "Ok then. Ah can do that. Too easy though. Pick somethin' else f' me ta make with it." She glanced over the items she would need and stood up to start retrieving them.

"There's black-and-white cookies in the breadbox if you want something sweet." Raya looked over at the dessert he'd put one wide finger on. "They're still pretty good for a week done." Something about the new guy made her kind of uneasy, but kind of intrigued at the same time. She was fairly sure the uneasy came from him being male and much larger than she was.

"Wanna cook. Just said Ah wanna keep mah hands busy. An' let tha man get a dessert. He just came back." She had a thought and set some things on the island, "By tha way, Eve... Are y'all stayin'? Or just here f' a bit?"

"Staying." Eve finished the sandwich and flipped through the book while she worked.

Rogue paused and looked over at him, "Paige comin' back up, too?"

Raya watched the conversation, because it was as much ducking out from behind cabinet doors as it was actual talking, with a quiet expression. The hot cider was making her feel warm from the inside out, with the added effect of making her already-red eyes even redder.

Eve shook his head and then finished off the milk. He continued to flip through the book.

"More Miss U.S.A. duties?" Rogue set about again, hoping he would say yes to that. She stopped at the oven to preheat it.

"Something like that." Eve picked out another reciepe and slid the open book across to her side.

Raya opened her mouth to say something and closed it again. Better not ask, given Eve's penchant for monosyllabic responses. She felt and heard the copper and ribbon clink against the countertop as she reached down to scratch her ankle. "Did you take a semester off?"

Rogue looked over her shoulder at the book as she reached for another ingredient in the cabinet. "Ooh, that's better." She smirked at Eve, "Stickin' ta ya Texas roots, sug? Dr. Pepper cake, comin' up. With or without tha pecans, hun?"

"Two." Eve watched as Rogue got things together. "With please."

The lack of words was reminding her quite unintentionally of Orlando, which made Raya try to stop the increased fidgeting with the bangle around her wrist. Didn't work. "Why?" Maybe a one-word question would inspire Eve to say more than that in answer.

Eve stared intently at the counter top. "A girl." He took a breathe and then looked up. "Raya, Do you always ask so many questions?"

"Depends. Do you always answer in as few words as possible?" The expression on his face made her tone down her smile to a quirk of one side of her mouth. Apparently that one was the million dollar question. "Does it bother you?"

"Deal." She grinned and gave him a wink then went to pull the crushed pecans from the pantry. "Regardless of why ya back, it's good ta have ya here."

"Yes, and no." Eve continued to watch Rogue as she cooked up dessert. "Heh. Thanks."

"That's good. You're nice to talk with." Raya held out one slim hand towards him to shake, the ribbons from her bracelet dragging over the smooth counter. She halfway hoped no one would ask her what the word meant.

Eve shook her hand. "Thanks." He then stood up and started to help Rogue get things set up.

Rogue swatted at Eve's hands. "Stop it 'fore Ah hit ya f' real. Ah said Ah needed ta keep mah hands busy, so let me alone ta do that." She started to pull her gloves off, tucking them in her pocket.

"Deal." Eve went and sat back at the counter. "You ever figure out how to control it?" he said, watching Rogue's hands as she worked.

"Ha, not really, no. Can touch if Ah have an excess of alcohol in mah blood stream though. An' by excess, Ah mean at least one bottle of Vic's braindeath." Damn, she still missed that asshole. "But, since Ah haven't been able ta, Ah'm workin' with Bobby on control of foreign powers, since, f' some reason, Ah cain't drain his energy."

Raya stayed quiet while they conversed about other people's powers: something she had absolutely no control over or much interaction with. She instead picked at the buttons that held her sleeves closed around her arms, and the loose tails of tribbon that peeked out from under them.

Eve thought on that for a second, pulled out his notebook from his backpack, and added that to her entry. "Is it just Bobby?" He flipped back and looked through his entry for Mr. Freeze.

"Am Ah just workin' with Bobby? Currently... Remy was tha most recent ta touch me though. Although, by now, him, Bobby, an' Vic are all three faint ghosts now... When Bobby gets back Ah wanna work 'gain. Though, gotta say, Remy's is mah favorite so far..." She smirked, "Ka-boom."

"Is that what they do?"

"Heh... Have you tried to mix them?" Eve asked. He got up and paced a bit as he thought about why she couldn't drain Bobby.

"Um, no. Ah ain't had both of their powers at tha same time..." She cocked her head at Eve, "Why are ya askin' all these questions 'bout mah mutation an' things? Y'all basically do what Ah do only... With no harm done when ya finished."

"I know, just seeing how your training's been going." Eve stopped and looked at Raya fidgeting. "Yes, Remy blows things up."

"He doesn't like it when Ah use his mutation though. Thinks Ah'll get hurt." She snickered as she started mixing things for both cakes. "Ain't possible an' he knows it. Such a worry wart f' a best friend, have Ah." She wrinkled her nose, "Speakin' syntax of Yoda, Ah am... Reminds me ta call Bobby."

"I've never seem him do it." Eve's look made her crack a smile as she finished her drink and slid down to put it in the sink. "So I was curious. What is it you do?"

"We used to practice on the back patio together with Bobby... " Eve sat back down at the counter, and said "I can do anything I put my mind to."

Rogue rolled her eyes at Eve, "That is such a cop out answer." She shook her head and grabbed the chocolate chips to pour in the cookie cake mix.

Raya tilted her head at the statement, ging back to rinsing her glass out and setting it upside down to dry out. "That's an accomplishment. Do you use powers like Rogue?"

Eve smiled. "It's what my mom used to tell me, and yeah, but I only copy them, and I can keep them permanently if I want."

"Lucky bastard is what he is." Rogue poked her tongue out at him as she started to pour the cookie cake batter into a round pie pan.

"Guess it could have been worse. I could have ended up talking to rats." Eve watched her pour in the batter.

"Blessed." Raya shuddered delicately at mention of rats, and hoped they wouldn't be the focus of the conversation. "Keeping them permanently must be pretty cool. So you can use them whenever you want to."

"Wish Ah could do that," she grumbled quietly as she put the pan in the oven. "Can only do that if Ah kill a person or put 'em in a nearly permanent coma." To prove her point, she set her bare hand on the rack in the oven and gave a small smile, "Ta da," she said flatly.

"Yeah, I can use as many as I want, whenever I want. We'll just have to find some mutants for you to pick off then huh? Heh.."

Rogue rolled her eyes and shut the cake in the oven before moving to work more on the Dr. Pepper cake. "Thanks, but Ah'll pass."

"Deal. So how long have you been a sandblaster?" Eve asked turning to Raya.

"This March will make three years." She didn't ask how he knew her power, partially because she decided she'd be happier not knowing. "It's a storm. I can't direct it consciously quite yet." She wondered if he was the great analyst of the mutant world. With all the information he seemed to have that idea seemed likely.

"Interesting. I'll play with it later, and see if I can figure out how to help you with it. Telekinetics can be difficult." Eve said helpfully.

"Thanks." Unsure of whether it was a very good idea to get so much 'help', Raya was still willing to take the offer. "So you can be sociable, after all." She smiled as she turned around, pleased that he was opening up a little. "Do you keep a little black book on all of us?"

Rogue finished with the batter and poured it in a pan, sticking it in the next oven over and setting timers for both. "Ah'm gonna go take a shower, if those start ta smell funny, pull 'em out please? Ah should be back long 'fore then though." She gave a nod and a smile and headed upstairs.

"Deal. Have fun." Eve said as he watched her leave. "I have one notebook. But it's mostly just for notes." on ever mutant I know.

Raya nodded and smiled at Rogue as she left, putting her fingertips together lightly over her chest. "What sort of playing did you mean, earlier?"

"You know, mess with your powers for a while and figure out exactly how they work." Eve got up and poured himself another glass of milk while waiting on the cake.

Raya wasn't exactly thrilled with that proposal. "Somehow that sounds less than pleasant. How do you get them from people?" She slanted him a look out of eyes that still hadn't calmed back to their normal shade.

Eve formed a small sphere of multi-colored light in his free hand. "I take a ball of light like this, and I make it pass over you. You wouldn't even feel it."

Raya eyed the light, finding it quite pretty, and reached out to see if she could touch it. "And that little light copies my power to you. That's neat."

"Thanks." Eve check the timer. "Looks like we've got time to kill till these are done. I'm going to take a walk in the woods."

"Take a scarf." Raya nodded and made the same gesture to Eve as he left, and she once again took a seat by the bar, watching the clock on the kitchen wall tick away.

[Edited on 12/7/08 by stjohn]

[Slarti]

Eeeeeeeve! Zomg, he speaks.