New beginning (Anemone & Raiden)

[Mookie]

The school grounds were quiet.

Both Raiden and Anemone had made it to the faculty to sleeping quarters, hand in hand, with surprising ease. Everyone must have been down at the beach, enjoying the bonfire. Raiden and Anemone were completely alone. Still, he made his way to his room, the school might be empty now but it wouldn’t be for long. The last thing they needed was to be caught out. Not that they would. Raiden would’ve heard anyone approaching from a mile off.

Pushing his hand into his back pocket, the Hanyou pulled out a set of keys and then went about unlocking his door. It swung open and he motioned for Anemone to enter, swiftly following suit.

“Do you want a drink?” he questioned once the door was locked behind them. Pocketing his keys again, Raiden moved over to the small kitchenette in the corner of his room. His stomach churned anxiously and he frowned.

To say that the 23 year old felt completely uneasy and out of place might have been something of an understatement. The new whirl of emotions that had settled in the pit of his stomach - that raged in his mind and played hacky-sack with his heart had thrown him completely off point.

But while he felt incredibly lost and unsure he also felt an undeniable sense of completeness. Which of course scared the hell out of him even further.

Silently, Raiden pulled two cans of soda from his small fridge as he mulled over his jumbled thoughts and the surprising feelings that went with them.

Being with Anemone was causing him to experience feelings he had thought were dead. Feelings he hadn’t even known he had to begin with. It scared him, not that he’d ever admit that to Anemone, but at the same time he felt a strong pulse of exhilaration.
This was the feeling that amazed him most, exhilaration, because he hadn’t felt this in such a long time. For so long he’d been a walking zombie, filled with no emotion or joy - he had been going through life hollow and it had suited him fine. But now. Now that he had met Anemone. Now that he was with Anemone. He felt alive.

Still, all of these new emotions were going to take a while to get used to. He didn’t mind.

[Silver]

Well - Anemone could say one thing for motorbikes, they certainly helped get rid of dry sand. As she'd stepped of the bike, glad to be stationary again, Anemone had noticed a distinct lack of sand sticking to her skin.

She hadn't been surprised to find the school practically deserted. The bonfire had attracted every one it seemed, though there would no doubt be a couple of people still at the school, those who took themselves too seriously, or didn't feel welcome. Still - no one was in the corridors she and Raiden had to go down to get to his room, so they didn't get caught. Which ultimately meant Anemone's hand didn't have to leave his until they were safely locked inside the room.

What she had been expecting, she didn't know. Probably something exactly like his apartment - only this was the school, so the decor had already been chosen. The room was much like the student rooms, only bigger, with less clutter and it looked roomier due to the lack of other beds and cupboards. But fundamentally it was all the same.

Anemone found herself looking around the room at trinkets and pieces of Raiden's personality that were littered around while he was across at the kitchen. "Mhm - sure." She nodded a response to his offer a drink and followed after him slowly. She had the distinct feeling he was nervous, or at least uneasy. She supposed it was to be expected - she wasn't exactly the queen of confidence right now though neither was she a wilting flower - she didn't know what she was, just a jumble.

Coming to the kitchenette, she retrieved one of the cans from Raiden and smiled putting it to one side on a the counter. She hopped up and perched on the edge, so she was about the same level to Raiden now.

"I have an idea," Anemone said slowly though her tone was playful, "lets play a game. Its like... a getting to know you game, cause y'know - I don't actually know that much about you personally and you don't know that much about me, other than that I'm an annoyance at times." She paused, practically beaming at him.

"Tell you how it works. So, say you ask me a question, it can be as personal or mundane as you like - I have to answer it. Again, answer can be as in depth or non-committal as you like, but you can't skip over it. So for example say you asked me... uhm..." Anemone paused for a moment, to think and to breathe, the excitement of her idea getting to her, "what my favourite colour is - I'd answer blue... or green. Or teal. Or pink... y'know, bad question, but you get the idea." Anemone giggled sheepishly.

"So, wanna play? I'll let you ask me first." She grinned, hoping the idea of going first might sweeten the deal a little.

[Mookie]

Raiden offered Anemone a wary stare. A game? She wanted to play a game so that they could get to know each other a little better? The Hanyou hesitated as he eyed Anemone’s happy grin. Sure he wants to know more about her, but playing a game wasn’t exactly the way he’d go about doing it.

And it wasn’t just that. He didn’t want Anemone to know too much about him. He had a horrible twisting in his gut that told him she wouldn’t like him so much when she knew about his past.

Cracking open his can, he took two large mouthfuls, sighed and then moved to sit on the stool at his counter.

“Okay.” he agreed. If this is what Anemone wanted to do, then he’d do it. Maybe she understood that he wasn’t much of a talker and so by making him play this game he’d have to talk - To reveal things about himself he wouldn’t normally.

He hesitated even further when she mentioned that he could ask the first question. “Have you always been so annoyingly persistent?” He questioned through a half smirk but his awkward hesitation was quick to return. Shifting uncomfortably in his seat, Raiden decided to start with something simple.

“Where..” he began, “Are you from exactly?”

______


((OOC: Sorry for the lame post. :/ ))

[Silver]

Anemone waited patiently for Raiden to consider her idea. She didn't actually think Raiden would go for it, she imagined he'd be too worried about letting something slip that he didn't want to - which was why she mad made a point of saying answers could be vague if he wanted. She didn't want to put him on the spot or make him clam up.

Her smile increased as he agreed to play along and found herself chuckling to his primary awkward question, "you bet. How else am I meant to get anywhere in life?" Anemone shrugged and turned her attention to her unopened can. She took it up in one hand, wiping the moisture from it with her fingers.

"Where am I from?" Anemone repeated. Okay - nice easy question. She could go a bit more in depth too... though that could be freaky. Still, she didn't like keeping things to herself, even if Raiden did do the in depth answer thing, she would. She opened the can and took a slow drink, before putting it to the side again and stretching her legs out.

"I'm a native Kosakian. My race are called Deitives and we lived here before it became as developed as it is today. We're a relatively new race, barely a millennium old. Uhm... we operate on a polytheistic God belief. There are eight of them in total; the four natural elements and the higher powers of Decay, Light, Dark and Spirit. All of them have been found or 'born' at one point or another, except Decay."

Anemone paused thoughtfully and hopped off the counter. "Lets see what else? ...I have no blood relatives as I'm a Deity Holder. Holders aren't born like normal people, we're found. I was hatched from a giant egg that was left on the beach eighteen years ago. My 'father' is the leader of our village, Yunka. And I have fifteen 'siblings'... at the moment."

Another long pause, Anemone considered what she had said and thought that was enough. "Okay... my turn." She leaned back against the counter and surveyed Raiden through half-hooded eyes. "Uhm... okay! How come you changed your name from Dusk to Raiden?"

[Mookie]

Raiden listened to Anemone intently, his maroon eyes following her every movement. He was surprised to find that she was found and born from an egg. Her explanation was brief but it was a lot to take in and it prompted further questions in his mind. He hadn’t imagined that she’d come from a different race of people entirely. But he thought he shouldn’t have been as surprised as he was now - he had always felt that there was something different about Anemone, that she was a little more special than your average meta-human.

Raiden took another mouthful from his can and closed his eyes for a brief moment at Anemone’s question. “Ella named me Raiden.” he explained, images of the past flickering behind his closed eyelids.

He was quiet for a long moment, sat in silence - remembering. The memories he had before he became a ‘prisoner’ were hazy, dream like. He could see that it was him but it was hard for him to remember ever feeling anything but anger and hatred and fear.

Now there was nothing but a faint echo of the boy he used to be.

“I’m Raiden now.” He said quietly, eyes still closed. “Dusk is dead.” He opened his eyes then and observed Anemone’s reaction. He didn’t expect her to understand.

“What does it mean?” He started suddenly, changing the subject. “What does being a Deity holder mean? Why are you a Deity holder?”

He was genuinely curious as to how it all worked and what it would entail for Anemone.

____________

((OOC: I'm sorry Silver! I told you everything i write keeps coming out crap. x___x; But I can't keep you waiting so I posted anyways. Sorry again!))

[Silver]

Anemone wasn't entirely sure how to react at Raiden's severe statement of Dusk being dead. At first she shifted uncomfortably, thinking she'd perhaps stumbled onto a bad topic, trying to school her expression into something passive rather than let it betray the discomfort she felt. There were things about Raiden she didn't know, and probably things she never would. She wasn't deluding herself, she wasn't expecting him to spill his guts, any answer was an answer. But she realised she had to tread carefully, especially if her questions concerned the past. It obviously wasn't something he enjoyed talking about.

After a few seconds Anemone had regained some sense and half-smiled stepping over towards Raiden and planting a kiss on his forehead. "Well, I don't care if you're Dusk or Raiden. You're all mine, that's what matters." She stepped back in surprise to his sudden question, wanting more information about her heritage.

"...Why?" Anemone repeated. Now she was stumped. She'd never really thought about it like that, she'd just accepted being a Deity Holder was her lot in life and had never questioned it. Standing up straight, Anemone crossed her arms staring at the floor thoughtfully. Being a Deity Holder - what that meant - was easy. That had been instilled in her since she was born. But not much else, like why it was her. Or what their ultimate purpose was.

"I... don't know." Anemone answered finally with a defeated shrug. "I just am, I guess. I don't get any choice in the matter. Though there have only ever been three of us - female holders I mean. Its more normal for men to be holders, their bodies are stronger as are their minds - apparently." Anemone scoffed at that and smirked to herself. "Though I think that's open to debate."

Breathing out slowly, Anemone pinched the bridge of her nose continuing to think, "our - that is, the Deitive's - aim in life is to gather all eight Deities together and summon them together. When that happens, its meant to open a gateway to a sacred land where all the answers of our people are meant to dwell. But that's really only a folk tale. Its never happened, and there's a belief that summoning all eight together would unleash an apocolypse. I suppose it depends on who you believe."

Laughing in spite of herself, Anemone returned to the counter and took up her can again, continuing to wipe the condensation off the sides of the can. "I can't tell you why I'm a Deity Holder - I don't even know myself. I can tell you it sucks. You're not allowed to have a mind of your own, its all prayer and sacrifice, you can't grow up having your own ideas, or your own opinions. You have no actual family, so really the only one you can rely on is yourself... its a pretty lonely existance. And then there's our 'use by' date." The last phrase was murmured under Anemone's breath tainted with bitterness though it was quickly gone as she turned back to face Raiden.

"My turn again!" She said chirpily, "okay - how many girlfriends have you had?" She tossed him an amused and cheeky grin. This she really doubted she'd get an answer to, but it was fun to ask.

((OOC: Aw - don't worry about it! It's all good! I'm sure your muse will return in time. ^__^ In the mean time, don't mind waiting. And I don't think your posts are crap.))

[Mookie]

Raiden stared at Anemone expectantly, waiting for her answer, though it appeared his question had thrown her a little. After placing a soft kiss to his forehead, she’d stepped away, face blank with surprise.

He listened in silence, absorbing each of her words with well hidden interest. He half smirked when she scoffed, but refrained from commenting, allowing her to go on.

Raidens brow furrowed when Anemone mentioned summoning and sacred lands. He hadn’t heard anything like what she was telling him in his entire life. He didn’t doubt what she told him - but he couldn’t help but feel sceptical. Maybe because all he knew was the hard world he lived in. Anemone’s world seemed so - unreal? Dream-like? He wasn’t sure, but if he didn’t know Anemone himself, he’d probably snort at anyone who’d tell him that Deities and sacred lands exist.

The somewhat bitter edge to her laughter pulled him out of his thoughts and his eyes followed as she made her way back to the counter. An uncomfortable feeling that squeezed at his chest caused him to frown. The loneliness in her voice wasn’t something he’d heard from her before. It was then, in that moment, that he was forced to see past the happy, ’annoying’, teenager, he was beginning to care for. It was then that he felt a little more connected to Anemone, because he understood being completely alone.

Lowering his gaze for a moment, Raiden considered crossing the small distance, taking Anemone into his arms and keeping her there. His left ear twitched lightly, easily picking up on the quiet murmur she spoke to herself. She probably didn’t expect him to hear, but he had of course.

“None.” Raiden answered in reply to her question before he was up out of his seat, crossing the small space, his arms trapping her against the counter.

“What do you mean, ‘Use by date’?” He repeated, eyes serious. It might have been nothing, but the way she had said it - the cold bitterness in his voice had caused his stomach to twist again.

[Silver]

"None? Really cute guy l-" Anemone was cut short when she noticed Raiden rising from his seat. She was trapped by his arms between the counter and Raiden a few seconds later and she immediately tensed. She didn't like how serious his expression was. Or the question. She didn't like talking about this any more, divulging herself and her past, present and future. This 'game' of hers had been a dumb idea.

She stayed silent for a while, leveling Raiden's serious gaze with one of her own, her back pressed against the counter. She considered darting under his arms and trying to change the subject - or kissing him and seeing if that helped. She doubted either would go down very well. Ignoring the question and trying to change the subject, whatever the means, wouldn't have been fair on Raiden. he spoke about things that obviously were difficult for him. It was really only fair she reciprocate.

Finally, Anemone surrendered the glaring fight and dropped her eyes to the markings on her right wrist.

"Its nothing important." Anemone muttered, "its means that - - basically we - -" Anemone tutted to herself - it wasn't very easy to explain to someone else.

"We're not human, but our bodies are human. And human bodies can only take so much strain as they grow up and grow older. Being a Deity Holder means your body is put under constant additional stress and strain. One body houses two souls, and one is a Deity older than the sea. We have to summon that creature once a day, if not we go insane and the Deity goes insane."

Pausing for a moment, Anemone considered how to continue. It really was tough trying to put into words what she had been told and spun so many times by Yunka and other elders.

"Basically we die early." Anemone admitted finally, "very few Deity Holders have lived beyond thirty-five. The oldest was forty-two when he died. Our bodies reach their peak in their mid-to-late twenties, after that is a quick down hill slope, with additional strain from the Deity it speeds up the process. Once our bodies loose their youth and therefore the ease to summon, the Deity "dies" and disappears into the ether. After that its just a matter of time before our our bodies give out."

Anemone cleared her throat uncomfortably and gingerly laid her hands on Raiden's arms, feeling a need for contact. Like she wanted to reassure him. She didn't know much about his past - scrap that - she knew nothing, but she didn't want him to think she was going to disappear tomorrow. "It isn't set in stone. There are ways to prevent it from happening, like releasing the Deity before bodies meet their peak, or a Transcending Ceremony, where the deity is moved from one body to another. I'm working on the former, trying to break the bond Fossu and I have.

She moved her hands up his arms bringing them to his face, holding him in place. Anemone sighed and eyed him equally as seriously as he had been doing her, "so don't freak. Or panic, or worry. Nothing is going to take me away from you. Come hell or high water," she planted a light kiss on his mouth in another attempt to add reassurance to her statement.

[Mookie]

Raiden stood very still as the weight of Anemone’s explanation settled.

‘Die.. Early?’

There was a painful ache in his chest so strong that it locked him in place - a living statue. Somewhere in the back of his mind he could hear Anemone’s voice, telling him not to worry. He vaguely registered the touch of her palms against his skin and the feel of her lips against his. He just stared, his eyes unseeing.

Raiden had shut down - body and mind. The only two feelings that did register were; an overwhelming sense of fear and mind numbing shock at how great that feeling of fear was. Because Raiden hadn’t been consciously aware of just how much he cared for Anemone. Not like he was now. Before he had been reluctant to be with her. But now, now he knew that loosing her was not an option.

Was that normal? To feel so strongly about someone you met no longer than a few weeks ago? It couldn’t be could it?

‘-Basically we die early-’

Raiden closed his eyes and inhaled deeply.

“Is it in you now?” He questioned lowly, opening his eyes once more. His eyebrows furrowed heavily and the corners of his lips fell down into a frown. "The.. Deity?"

[Silver]

Don't freak out. Don't freak out. Please do not freak out... Anemone repeated to herself watching for any reaction from Raiden.

Maybe she'd said too much - given out too much information. Given him too much to consider in one go. It couldn't have been easy for an outsider to understand how the Deitive culture worked. Anemone only understood and accepted it because it was how she had been brought up, knowing she had a short life span, and that was how it was. That was how it had to go - it was how it had to go.

She'd only found out about ways to prevent the early death due to recent research. Since meeting Raiden she'd wanted to fight tooth and nail against a fate she now felt condemned too... not that she'd ever admit that he was the reason she wanted to change that.

The uncomfortable quiet was broken by Raiden asking a question she hadn't expected. "No." Anemone shook her head, "I'm trying to keep him seperated for long periods of time. He doesn't really like being with me any more cause of the... stuff I think about." Anemone's cheeks flushed and she cleared her throat, running one hand up into Raiden's hair.

"Are you okay? I guess its a lot to take in." She surveryed him with a worried gaze, chewing the inside of her cheek.

[Mookie]

“I’m fine.” He breathed finally. Except he didn’t feel fine. He didn’t feel fine at all. That feeling of fear was still there - eating at his insides.

“I’m fine.” He repeated again, forcing his eyes to re-focus. He needed to sit down. All of these emotions and feelings he was experiencing for the first time were a little on the overwhelming side.
Retreating a few steps, Raiden turned, his movements stiff and moved to sit on the two-person settee.

He sat still for barely half a minute, his fingers mindlessly drumming against the armrest before he was up out of his seat crossing back over to Anemone. It took him only a few strides before he was in front of her, taking his face in his large hands and crushing his lips against her own.

[Silver]

'Not you're not.'

Is what Anemone wanted to say. What she felt she should say. Raiden was the exact opposite of fine, that was obvious from the way he kept proclaiming that he was fine. But then, she hadn't exactly expected an over the moon reaction. It was obviously hard for him to swallow. Everything, not just this bombshell, but everything about her. No one really believed in Gods any more, or mystic cultures like hers was. Even Anemone sometimes found the stories too far fetched to believe - but for a total non believer, not just in Gods but in anything, her entire history was probably laughable.

She watched uncomfortably while Raiden moved silently and jerkily over to the two seater settee, his movements unco-ordinated, like he was partly frozen. Her stomach twisted uncomfortably and she tried to will the feeling of panic and fear from her brain. He was just mulling things over - this wasn't going to be like earlier. He had promised he wouldn't put her through something like that again.

The urge to go over to him was over-whelming, and she started to, shifting her weight from one hip to the other, though paused when Raiden was up out of his seat and opposite her after a few short strides.

"Rai-" the question went unfinished and was instantly forgotten when the feeling of Raiden's lips against her accosted Anemone's senses. After the initial shock, her limbs regained their feeling leaving her sides and encircling Raiden's neck, allowing Anemone to draw herself towards him, closing the space between them. Though the sense of worry was still apparent in the pit of her stomach, Anemone ignored it for the moment, too lost and over-whelmed to pay her negative feelings any heed.

Anemone responded, kissing Raiden hungrily and with eagerness she hadn't shown before, throwing caution to the wind. This was something she had been replaying over and over in her mind, the hot kisses they had shared in the library and at his apartment - and now she was getting it all again. Though she was hit was a thought she couldn't ignore as it niggled at the back of her mind and forced her to move away from Raiden swiftly.

"A-are you okay?" She felt stupid for asking, all blushing and glowing like she was a light bulb - but she felt she had to ask. "I mean... yo-your other side? The one that goes nuts whenever you kiss me, are you okay?"

[Mookie]

Raiden kissed Anemone like he hadn’t before. At least - not while in his ‘normal’ state of mind. He’d moved his hands to hold her waist just a split second before she moved her own arms and hands. He matched Anemone kiss for kiss, blinding his confused and distraught thoughts with her smell and the feel of her lips against his own.

It worked until he could feel Anemone pulling back. Thoughts and words were quick to flood his mind once more and he visibly frowned, his eyebrows pulling together slightly.

The furrow between his eyebrows deepened, this time with confusion, when Anemone questioned him. It took him two seconds to register what is was she was asking. Pressing his lips together he nodded his head lightly, his gaze flickering to the side.

“There shouldn’t be anymore..” He paused and then sighed. “..Problems.”

Switching his gaze back to Anemone, Raiden eyed her lips, wondering whether or not to distract her with another kiss or to explain what had happened. He decided he should explain. They were together now, he’d need to tell her these things. At least, he’d have to tell her enough to keep her from worrying.

“The magic on my tattoo needed reinforcing.” He explained simply, his face impassive. He wasn’t going to go into details. He knew she’d only worry if she knew the whole truth. “I hadn’t had it topped up in a while. My mind has been a little.. Preoccupied as of late.” He offered her a small smirk, preoccupied with annoying teenagers, was what he’d wanted to add but thought that she got the hint so didn’t need to.

Lifting his arm, the Hanyou lightly brushed his first two fingers across Anemone’s bottom lip before moving them up to trace the bow of her upper lip. Anemone was beautiful. He could finally see that now. Now that he allowed himself to.

“I have another question.” He began, his hand returning to her waist. He liked being stood here, in her warmth. “Why do you want to be with someone like me?”

The idea of Anemone wanting to be with someone like him, still baffled Raiden.

[Silver]

Anemone listened to Raiden's simple explanation silently. She felt relieved that there shouldn't be any issues arising from that side of him - but she was still a little dubious. She was sure that that was as much of an explanation she would get from him, she was starting to learn that detail wasn't Raiden's strong point. Not that she minded that much, his words and the trying to explain was a start. He could improve.

"Preoccupied, huh?" Anemone grinned, "am I a distraction?" She liked how Raiden's mouth quirked when he smirked and focused on that, rather than on what she wanted to ask - which was about the magic and his tattoo. The mention of it had piqued her interest immediately, but again she felt that was probably something Raiden wouldn't talk about willingly. Or... at least not at the moment.

Feeling his fingers running over the shape of her lips, Anemone dropped her eyes to the floor, colour sweeping up into her cheeks. Intimate actions like that still caught her by surprise and emitted an embarrassed reaction, and probably always would. It wasn't that she didn't like it, the opposite in fact, she loved when Raiden was affectionate towards her, it was just something she wasn't used to. Yet. She managed to land a light kiss on the wandering digits before they retreated to her waist.

Raiden's question had Anemone raising her eyebrows confused by the question. Hadn't they been through this before? In the library? Or had he forgotten? Or maybe he wanted more of a reason. Anemone sighed quietly, treating Raiden to a gently disapproving look. She returned her arms to their previous position, around his neck, her fingers automatically seeking out his hair to play with. She kissed him again, deeply and heartfelt, breathing slowly as she broke away from him.

"The way I see it, everyone is entitled to certain things in their life; happiness and love being two of the biggest things. And people who have shady backgrounds, or have tragedy marring their pasts often don't think they're entitled to the good things in life. Now, I don't know about your past, or the reason for you doing certain things, but I do know you're one of those people," Anemone paused, pursing her lips and she thought how to continue. She brushed her lips against his again, before focusing on his eyes seriously.

"Whatever happened in the past happened. And you don't seem to think you're deserving of any love or affection. Well, I want to - and am going to - prove you otherwise. I want you to know that despite whatever you might have done, or whatever may have happened in the past, that you're still entitled to the basic needs of love and happiness, and that I... would like to make you happy when you're angry or upset, and to love you unconditionally - if you'll let me."

A small, shy grin slipped onto Anemone's face, which she offered for a moment before burying her face in Raiden's neck to hide.

[Mookie]

Raiden listened to Anemone in silence, responding to her kiss and the light brush of her lips against his in between her explanation.

He was sure that Anemone could explain why she was with him a thousand times over and he would still doubt her reason. Not out of suspicion or lack of trust, but out of fear. Fear that Anemone would be taken from him. He realised that it would take him a while to tackle the gnawing feeling of fear. But he’d keep trying. Because he knew that Anemone was worth it.

Anemone was full of surprises and although Raiden couldn’t quite fathom how her mind worked, he wouldn’t change her for the world.

A small, warm, smile tugged at the corner of his lips when Anemone smiled shyly before burying her head into his neck.

“You’re.. pretty amazing.” he stated firmly, his voice low. “Stubborn and too persistent.” He smirked against her hair, “But amazing.” He finished with a low sigh, urging the awkward feeling he felt tickling at the sides of his stomach, into a deeper place.

Pulling back so that he could observe Anemone, he levelled his gaze with hers and stared at her questioningly.

“Do you have any more questions?” He feigned annoyance, his half smirk still in place. Knowing Anemone, she probably had a never ending amount of questions to throw at him.