The Perk, Wednesday Afternoon

[trigons_child]

Raven still hadn't taken the vacation that Karla had been pressing her to take. She always found an excuse, some healing that needed to be done or something else that required her attention. She wanted to keep busy; she didn't want to relax and think. But finally she reluctantly agreed to take just one day off, and Fandom seemed an appropriate place to spend it.

Now she sat at a table at the Perk, sipping tea and trying to decide what to do. Philia was curled at her feet -- she hadn't wanted to leave the dog behind, even for a short time, since she was still wary of strangers at best.

[Open, la.]

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[filleauloup]

Cold days like this one called for ways to keep warm, and if you asked Éponine it was much nicer to be able to do things like stop and get a hot coffee when she felt like it if staying warm was a necessity. (Also, having shoes and warm clothes helped with that.)

"Oh, hello," she said, having spotted Philia on her way back from a trip to the sugar and creamer bar. (She had a caramel latte and didn't actually need to sweeten it, but if they had sugar packets lying around for the taking, well. There were a couple dozen in her pocket now.) "Mind you behave yourself; one of the fellows who works here isn't too fond of having animals about. He can't do anything about it, but good lord, how he'll frown! It isn't very nice to have someone glaring at you like that."

It was entirely possible that had just been an isolated incident, but how was it Éponine's fault that her cat suddenly decided to jump up onto the counter and make off with an entire chocolate croissant?

[trigons_child]

Philia gave Éponine a wary look, but didn't growl. Strange women didn't make her as uncomfortable as men.

"Hello," Raven said, shaking off her thoughts. "You are Éponine, correct?" She remembered her from the Toymaker's dungeon; she'd been among those who'd helped to save Anakin. And Raven was trying very hard not to think about how she'd been so very tempted to bite her.

[filleauloup]

NOT FOR EATING, RAVEN. (Kennedy would be extremely tempted to encourage that, though.)

"You remember my name!" Éponine looked pleased, but then she always did when someone remembered her name. "That's nice. I remember you from that horrible dungeon. But you don't live here, do you? I'd have seen you about the island since then, if you did."

[trigons_child]

"I was a student here some time ago," Raven said, nodding. Azar, it seemed so far past now. "I do not dwell on the island now, but I visit from time to time. Are you a student here?" She seemed young enough to be a senior, or perhaps even a junior.

[filleauloup]

There might have been a perceptible psychic whiff of bitterness coming from Éponine at the question; it would underscore her sardonic bark of laughter.

"Me, a student! Think you're funny, do you? No classes for me, no sir, I can't be bothered with that nonsense," she said, playing up a brash and careless façade, though the pride in her voice was genuine as she continued, "There's some of us've got to work to keep ourselves fed, d'you know? That's what I do."

[trigons_child]

Mmm, Pride. Stop it, Éponine, unless you did want to be for eating.

"I am sorry, I meant no insult," Raven said. "What brings you to Fandom, then, if you do not mind me asking?" She was trying to place her accent and way of speech -- Earth's past, perhaps? Or some other world?

[filleauloup]

Not for eating, Raven. Not. For. Eating. She didn't have much to be proud of, so leave her that at least.

"I didn't care for home much any more," Éponine said, waving a hand. Gross understatement, that, but damned if she was going into it now, not with Cosette on the island. "It was an accident, turning up here, but I'll call it a stroke of luck if it suits me."

Searching for a way to steer the conversation in a different direction, she waved a hand in the general direction of Raven's forehead. "Look here!" she exclaimed, her eyes coming slightly more into focus as she peered interestedly at the chakra. "That's a pretty decoration you've got."

Yes, that was a bit rude. No, she didn't seem to realize.

[trigons_child]

At least she wasn't trying to touch it. Now that would be rude.

But she was used to the attention it brought her. It certainly confused a lot of people in Glacia. "It is not a decoration, it is my chakra." She brushed her fingers against her forehead, not quite touching the jewel. "It is part of me."

[filleauloup]

What, touch it, like she was trying to steal it? Of course not.

. . . not that she had contemplated stealing it. Except for that one very brief moment before she caught herself.

"I should think," Éponine remarked, still peering at the jewel intently. "Seems you've got it stuck on well enough. Well, it's pretty, that's certain."

[trigons_child]

"Thank you," Raven said, smiling and managing not to preen too much. She wasn't worried about theft at all, since it couldn't be removed. Except for the one time when Sebastian bit it off, but those were memories she preferred to not think about.

"I have had it all my life," she said. "I was born with it."

[filleauloup]

Good thing Éponine wasn't her father, then. Don't think he wouldn't consider Sebastian's approach.

"Now there's one I hadn't heard of before. But I'm used to that now, I've been here long enough, and if it's not one thing it's another, isn't it? There's some who'd think me just as curious, no doubt, only no one asks, not really, and that's fine with me."

[trigons_child]

"Fandom is full of curious people, some more so than others," Raven agreed. "But most seem to find some sort of home here, despite the island's whimseys and dangers."

She'd heard a few odd things on the radio, but she had no idea what that was about.

[filleauloup]

"Yes, most of the time it isn't trying to kill us, so that's all right," Éponine said thoughtfully. "It's got a sense of humor, at least, even if it's a strange one and anyhow, the people here are lovely for the most part."

She took a moment to glance up in the direction of the school, scowling almost imperceptibly, as if admitting as much about some people was hard.