The Roof, Monday Afternoon

[trigons_child]

Raven found autumn fascinating. Azarath didn't have seasons; therefore the changing colors of the leaves was truly a new experience. So after class she headed up to her favorite spot on the roof and sat cross-legged in the sunlight, eyes closed as she sent her Soul-Self soaring over the Preserve. While her Soul-Self soaked in the reds and golds and oranges of the trees, she thought about Lady Ghanima's class and how she had said to spend the rest of the day contemplating being a better person. Her checklist was slightly different than the rituals they'd discussed that morning. Pay attention in class and please her teachers. Use her gifts to help any who needed healing. Stop occasionally wanting to kill Max, and heal the damage that was done in the other Fandom. Not become her father's servant and help him open gateways to other worlds so they could be conquered or laid waste.

Yeah, that last one was a big one.


[I am desperately trying NOT to fall asleep at work, so Raven is highly interruptable. :) ]

Comments

[bloody-luck.livejournal.com]

"Snow is only pretty the first time," Mat said. "Then it's just cold, wet, and hard to walk through."

[trigons_child]

"I can imagine," Raven said. "And people must become frustrated eventually at being forced to seek their amusements inside."

[bloody-luck.livejournal.com]

"Oh, I don't know about that," Mat said. "Some of my favorite amusements are indoor activities."

[trigons_child]

"What sort of activities?" Raven asked. "Are you skilled at games?"

[bloody-luck.livejournal.com]

Mat nodded. "Especially ones of chance," he replied, winking, "but I'm a fair player at stones, too."

[trigons_child]

"I have never played such games," Raven said. She brushed her hair from her face and studied Mat. "You must enjoy the risk -- not knowing if you will win or lose?"

[bloody-luck.livejournal.com]

"I generally win," Mat said, "but the risk is the main appeal. You've never gambled?"

[trigons_child]

"Never," Raven said. "I have a vague idea of how some of them may work, but we had no such games on Azarath."

[bloody-luck.livejournal.com]

Mat pulled his dice from the pocket of his coat. "It's really very simple," he said. "You throw them, and high toss wins."

Well, there were about a thousand variations on games, but that was the easiest to start with.

[trigons_child]

"But I have nothing to wager," Raven said. "Is that not the point of the game?"

[bloody-luck.livejournal.com]

Mat smirked. "Oh, I'm sure we can come up with something to wager," he said. "Dances, kisses, promises of sweets..."

[trigons_child]

Was her heart beating just a little faster? Why, yes, it was. Raven blushed again and ducked her head shyly. "Which would you prefer?" she asked.

[bloody-luck.livejournal.com]

"Lady's choice," Mat said gallantly.

[trigons_child]

Raven wished she had a mental connection to Karla or Joan or Dinah so she could ask them what she was supposed to do in this situation. She bit her lip and said daringly, "Kisses, then."

[bloody-luck.livejournal.com]

"Excellent choice," Mat said with an easy smile, handing her the dice. "The pips go up to six on each. High score wins. Shake them up and toss them onto the ground."

[trigons_child]

Raven took the dice and turned them over in her hand. "I throw them all at once?" she said, oh so subtly asking how many dice there were.

[bloody-luck.livejournal.com]

"Both of them," Mat said, nodding as his mun smacked herself.

[trigons_child]

Raven closed her hand and shook it a few times, then tossed the dice to the ground, rolling a two and a five. "Seven!" she said. "And now you do the same?"

[bloody-luck.livejournal.com]

"Yes," Mat said, scooping up the dice and tossing them. The pips flipped up to show a pair of fives. "Ten," he said. "I win. I believe you owe me a kiss."

[trigons_child]

"And I will honor my debt," Raven said, feeling nervous but giddy. She unfolded her legs and rose to her knees, leaning into Mat.

[bloody-luck.livejournal.com]

Mat kept the kiss light and friendly, not about to push anything she wasn't comfortable giving him.

"And that's how you play," he said, pulling back. "Well, in taverns I do it for coin because kissing other men doesn't really hold much appeal for me..."

[trigons_child]

Light and friendly was good. Raven knew she would probably enjoy more, but the last time she had kissed a boy had gone badly, and she didn't want that to happen again. "You had best avoid glitter then," she teased. "For it often makes boys want to kiss each other." And girls, it seemed. "So do we roll again now?"

[bloody-luck.livejournal.com]

"We do," Mat said, grinning. "And I'm not afraid of a little glitter."

[trigons_child]

Raven picked up the dice and rolled them again, this time getting a six and a three. "I did better this time," she said, pleased.

[bloody-luck.livejournal.com]

"You did," Mat said with a nod. "It's not that hard, really."

He tossed the dice and ended up with another pair of fives. "I think I win again," he said, all innocence.

Mat didn't do innocent very convincingly.