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'Dite's Decadent Delights, Tuesday afternoon

With the island in such an amorous mood, the last place Raven wanted to be was at 'Dite's. But she was never one to blow off her duties, so she reported to work on time and settled behind the counter with a book, trying to distract herself from her own amorous thoughts. Maybe it would be a quiet day as usual.

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It was late in the afternoon when 'Dite stepped in. She found Hercules snoozing on the floor in a patch of fading sunlight and picked him up before looking for Raven.

"Raven? It's 'Dite."

Raven looked up with a pleased smile. "Lady Aphrodite!" she said. "It is good to see you."

"It's good to see you, too." Aphrodite offered Raven a hug. "I wanted to come check on you -- see how you're handling whatever's in the air right now." She winked, but then turned serious. "And -- I wanted to thank you. Again."

Raven was quite happy to give 'Dite a warm hug. "I am shielding it all out as much as I can," she said, taking a step back after a moment. "But I can sense that things are very intense now."

"Very intense." 'Dite nodded. "Yes. That's a good way to put it." She zapped in a stool to sit on, then motioned Raven back to where she'd been sitting. "I'm guessing it's been quiet. Can we talk for a minute?"

"It has been quiet, yes," Raven said, nodding before she settled back in to her seat. "What do you wish to talk about?"

Folding her hands, 'Dite bit her lip. "Well, I talked to Karla. Who told me about -- Kaeleer." She paused. "Thank you. For helping her again. I know," she held up a hand, "I know you do it because you care, but still. It's good to know you're there for her."

Raven twisted her hands together in her lap, looking down at them. "It was difficult," she said. "But I am pleased Karla is safe here now, and I will keep a closer watch on her to make certain she remains healthy and safe."

"Good to know, Raven." 'Dite wondered, though, who was watching Raven herself? Karla?

"What do you think of the accusation that she takes too much on and works herself too hard to make up for being here while her people suffer?"

"I had not recognized that before," Raven said. She was still kicking herself for not seeing it, but since it was something she tended to do as well, it wasn't a huge surprise she hadn't caught on. "But I will watch for it now."

"Will you watch yourself, to make sure you don't do the same?" Yes, 'Dite was aware of the similarities between the two. "You can't save her, if you're drowning as well, you know."

"My powers do not work the same as Karla's," Raven protested. "I am not physically affected by their use as she is."

That's probably not what 'Dite meant, Raven.

"But you are emotionally affected. Effected. Whatever." 'Dite shook her head. "Raven, you're still fairly new to even having emotions. I've seen you get in over your head because of it. It's great that want to take care of Karla, that you have this connection to her, but if you've exhausted yourself emotionally, you won't be able to watch out for anyone." She shrugged. "I just want you to think about it. Especially in light of how you two feel for each other."

Raven opened her mouth to protest, then closed it again at 'Dite's last sentence. Of course she knew. "I care for her very much," she murmured. "She is very dear to me. Like...a sister."

The goddess's eyebrows rose. There was no way Raven really believed those words, was there?

"Raven . . . I don't know what it was like in your world. . . but in mine? We didn't want to passionately kiss our sisters."

She didn't need to add, 'like you want to do to Karla'. It was pretty well implied, 'Dite thought.

Raven could almost argue against that, since Zeus married his own sister, after all, right?

Instead her face flushed red. "She has a boyfriend," she said. "She is content with Warren, and I am happy for her."

It might be true that Zeus married his sister, but 'Dite would point out that no one said anything about kissing her passionately.

She nodded solemnly at Raven. "I know about her boyfriend, and I know you're happy for her and would never do anything to disturb the two of them." Her head tilted to the side. "I'm talking about feelings, Raven, not actions. You might never act on it, but don't tell me there isn't any desire when you look at her."

"Is it wrong to feel such things for more than one person?" Raven said, sidestepping the question just a little bit. But 'Dite was right, she'd never act on her feelings, not unless safframate was involved.

"Absolutely not." The very thought of such a thing made 'Dite want to laugh. "Look, sometimes people just trigger something in us. We find them beautiful, or we love the way they laugh, or their eyes crinkle when they smile. They touch us in a way others don't, and we respond, sometimes emotionally, and sometimes with desire." 'Dite shrugged. "It's not wrong. It's just -- who we are." She smiled a little. "It's a part of love, Raven. And Love isn't wrong."

"I have wanted to know love for a very long time," Raven said softly. Even before she came to Fandom, she craved her mother's love -- she just could never admit it to herself then. Then Fandom had awakened a longing for romantic love, though that had been thwarted at every turn. "But I did not expect it to hurt so much as well."

[I'm falling asleep -- SP OK? :) ]

"There's a good and there's a bad kind of hurt, Raven. The bad kind is when the love isn't returned, when the other person, for whatever reason, doesn't feel the same, can't return the love." 'Dite thought of Max briefly. "I know that hurts, Raven. But this, with Karla? This is a good kind of hurt. Because you know she cares about you. You know she does love you, and even if she's with someone else right now, who knows what the future holds? Anything could happen, and even if it doesn't, it won't matter. Because you've been able to love, and receive love in return." 'Dite touched Raven's cheek gently. "And that's a wondrous thing, Raven, to be loved."

(SP is love!)

Raven closed her eyes and leaned against 'Dite's hand. "I cannot wish or hope for anything for the future," she said. "That would be it wrong, for it would be the same as hoping that something goes badly in her relationship with Warren, and I do not want that. I accept that we are only friends, and I will be content with that." Maybe she should try to purge her own feelings like she did others when she healed them. That would make things easier, wouldn't it?

"Sweet Pea, just be there for her. Be her friend. But don't hide your feelings either. The more you push them away, deny them, the more they'll turn negative - if you deny love, you open the door to jealousy and anger, and that's never a good situation between friends." 'Dite shrugged. "You don't even have to tell her. Just - don't hide it."

"She knows," Raven said with a soft sigh. "And so does Jono. But I do not wish to make either of them feel uncomfortable around me. So I will do my best to keep my feelings to myself. I do not think sharing them will do any one any good."

'Dite patted Raven's hand. "As long as she knows. That's the important thing." With a smile, she pulled back. "And now, I think I'm going to zap myself back to my suite. Mind if I take Herc with me? I think something's wrong with me because I've actually been missing the little brat."

"Of course," Raven said. "I think he has missed you, too. He has been pushing things off the shelf for attention."

"Which is why I call him a brat." She scooped up the cat. "Thanks for everything, Raven. And hey, if things get to be too much this week? Let me know. I'll take you off the island for an evening or afternoon or something."

Blowing a kiss to her young friend, 'Dite snapped her fingers and disappeared, leaving a gold outline that slowly drifted away.

"You are welcome," Raven murmured as 'Dite disappeared. She wrapped her arms around herself and stared out the front window, lost in though and still torn about what to do about her feelings. It would be easier if she just pushed some of them away like she did to those she healed, and she wasn't sure if that was good or bad.

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'Dite's Decadent Delights, Tuesday afternoon

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