Chapter Text
"Hey," A voice gleamed, "Didn't think I'd find you at our spot this time of night."
She sat down near them - perpendicular to be exact - as her tied-up ginger locks gingerly swayed in the hollow air of night. They had always liked the way her hair was styled; big, poufy and long. It was quite a pretty hue, too. Her eyes, a glossy shade of gold, usually had a hint of scrutiny in them, but not tonight. Tonight, they were avoidant, shy.
"Hey, Eda." Raine greeted with that same customary smile they gave everyone. It was polite one, however still slightly plain. Eda sat, surveying the twinkling stars peacefully as Raine looked to the earth beneath them.
"So what're you here for Rainestorm?" The girl asked, turning to them. Raine muffled a smile at the nickname.
"What's it to you, Edalyn?" They slyly shot back. An impish grin crossed their face as Eda lightly grimaced.
"What's with the attitude Whispers?" She said, "That's completely unnecessary at this time of day."
"Don't you mean night?" Raine joked.
"Oh my Titan, can we please stop with the sarcasm! I've actually had enough today." Eda huffed annoyed, throwing her head back, and body, along with her into the grass. Raine promptly joined her, laying comfortably on their back next to her. "Just tell me why you're here Raine, it's a bit unlike you to sneak out of your own home and come here."
They shifted next to Eda, switching positions from perpendicular to parallel.
"I'm here to look at the stars. It's been a pretty chaotic day," They finally admitted, dropping the demeanour, "My head's just like, foggy and here is the best place to clear it. The song lyrics are still screaming their way through my ears. It's absolute hell." The ginger laughed -- well, snorted -- and in effect made Raine too, laugh.
"Hah, true." She smirked semi-proudly.
Today had been both exhaustingly chaotic and boorishly fun. The young Edalyn Clawthorne had a penchant for causing chaos, and today was one of those days. Earlier in the morning, the cunning girl had hexed the school bells into singing the famous pop song, 'Since You Been Conned'. The ear-shattering singing lasted for about 5 hours and could only be stopped by pitting the school bells against each other in a quarrel over who was the better boy band: 'Babies To Boys' or 'Two Seconds To New York'. It was a horrendous day for witches, demons and teachers alike. However, nobody was allowed to go home early.
"All that singing seriously made my ears ring, no pun intended."
"I mean, I couldn't've made them stop, really, even if I wanted to." She said. "I had some fun with it though."
"Of course you did, Eda." Raine deadpanned.
"Well, did you?" Eda asked.
"A little," They chuckled, "The bit where I got the song stuck in my head wasn't one of them though."
Edalyn sighed, her shoulders dropped in relaxation. She tumbled closer to the other kid next to her, heads probably a finger's length away. A silence dwelled on the pair. "So what about you Eda, why're you here?"
"I come here all the time, what do you mean?"
"There's something different about you tonight, I can tell."
"How?"
"I just can."
"Well then tell me exactly, O Almighty Raine Whispers, hearer of all truths and mind reader of ogled brains." Eda mocked in posh-like accent. That elicited a giggle from them. She smiled.
Raine took in a deep breath. "For starters, you're not making as many jokes as you normally would, and second of all, you're kinda tense."
That made Eda shoot right up. "What!? I'm not tense, I'm very easy-going thank you very much!" She huffed, crossing her arms and puffing her cheeks. Another giggle.
"No, no! I don't mean it personality-wise it's just that..." Raine trailed off, looking to find the right words.
"It's just that what? Spit it out already!"
"I kinda feel like you're pissed at someone or something, like you've just had a big fight or something like that."
The golden eyes shot down, avoiding the eye contact that was once held. Slowly, she timidly nodded. "I had a massive fight with Lily."
Raine's expression softened. They got up and sat down next to Eda, lacing their fingers in hers. Giving her hand a little squeeze, her golden eyes darted up and honey met emerald. A smile pressed itself onto Eda's lips, causing them to smile back.
"You can tell me," Raine assured, "You don't have to if you don't feel comfortable."
Eda's smirk somewhat faltered into thin line, lips pursed together. She took in a deep breath. Raine gave her hand another squeeze.
"Well, Lily wanted to go to the Bonesborough book fair but our parents couldn't go that day because they had work and they said Lily could bug me into going and they would let her go if I agreed to go with her but I didn't want to go to that absolute nerd-fest but she insisted and I said no but she was adamant on me going so she tried to bribe my by saying that she'd give me five snails but I said no again and asked for ten but then she said six but I said no way and like I kept raising the price because I thought she would just give up until I asked for fifty but she was so determined that I blew up on her and we had a massive argument. She also told me that the reason I was failing my classes was because I didn't read enough - I do! I read a few books about demons and magic so can learn stuff! She just doesn't get it." Eda explained in a breath.
"O-okay..." Raine nodded. "So what you're saying is that Lilith wanted to go to a book fair but you didn't so she tried to bribe you and you lost your cool?"
"Yes."
"Mhm. While Lilith was in the wrong for not taking no as an answer, you should apologize since you blew up on her."
She squeezed their hand harder while trying to think of a reply. Eda opened her mouth but quickly shut it. She let go a breath.
"I don't think I have enough fight in me to argue anymore, actually." She replied. "Guess I'll just go with your stupid resolve. Thanks Rainestorm."
"No problem, Eda." And with that Raine smiled, hands intertwined with hers as they observed the beaming night sky.
An hour or two miscellaneously rushed by like a breeze in a forest. The pair talked and chittered for what seemed about minutes, giggling and joking about various past events, hands still linked. It was a mundane, slice-of-life type of moment for the two, and they cherished it.
"The stars are real pretty, y'know." Eda said, "But you know what else is pretty?"
"What, let me guess. My mum?" They replied, sick of all her your-mum jokes. Some were actually pretty funny and some were just awfully cheesy. Raine hated them.
"Hah! Good one, but you're wrong." Raine was a bit taken aback by that. Usually, questions like this always had resulted in a your-mum pun but tonight was different. It'd always been different since the beginning.
They paused. Their brain wracked itself for an answer but none came to mind.
"You are!" She exclaimed as she magicked a rose out of thin air. Eda handed it to Raine with an enormously sly (but genuine) grin on her glistening face. Actually, she looked glowing tonight. Raine didn't know whether it was the sleepiness or the moonlight that made the devil in front of them appear like an angel but all they knew was that she was pretty. She always was.
"Will you go to Grom with me?" Eda winked, still grinning. The heat from their heart pumped quickly from their chest and into their face. Deepening red bled onto Raine's once content face and made them a babbling and crimson mess. They gulped hard, adjusting their collar.
"I-I-I-I-" Raine blurted. "Ye-, N-, Y-, Argh!"
"Spit it Whispers. Yes or no?" She cunningly questioned.
Their face was hotter than the sun. "I-I-I-I w-ant t-t-t-, y-y-e-"
"You want what?" Eda giggled. Raine got even more redder (if that was actually mortally possible). "Do you not want to go to Grom with me?" She pouted, feigning disappointment.
"N-no I just-!"They paused, absolutely flustered.
Eda started cackling at the mere sight of her friend. They looked like their head was going to actually explode but thankfully however, it did not. "What were you saying Raine? You just what?"
They inhaled as much as they could.
"YESI'LLGOTOGROMWITHYOUBUTPLEASESTOPLAUGHINGITSMAKINGMESOEMBARASSEDOHMYTITANITHINKI'MGOINGTOPASSOUT." Raine spat in a swift breath that even Eda was stunned. She giggled.
"What?!" They asked.
"Nothing, nothing." She waved a hand dismissively, "It's just so cute seeing you all flustered and embarrassed."
"You think I'm cute?"
"..." Her face went merlot.
There was a pause.
"I think you're cute too." They said, smiling, as they squeezed her hand reassuringly.
"Oh my Titan, just shut up!" She yelled. "It's too late for this gooey-mushy-lovey-dovey shit."
Once more, the duo sat with an awkward but light silence between them. Their last conversation was a never ending loop in both their heads, neither one not knowing what to do next. Eda shifted closer for warmth, as Raine stayed as still as the sea of snapdragons around them. It was quite a chilly night for these two teens.
"I think you're cute." She blankly stated, a hint of shyness in tone.
"Thanks, Edalyn." And with that, they gave her a quick peck on the cheek before laying their head against her shoulder.
★
"Edalyn!" Lilith panted. She'd been running for while, searching far and wide for her angsty, runaway sister. She was sorry about the arguement, sorry she pissed off her sister for her own selfish wants. She had to make it right.
The girl had search Hexside, Raine's house, their back garden, the Bonesborough library, etcetera, etcetera. But the most crucial place she hadn't checked was their spot; the spot that they'd go every time something shitty happened or with they just wanted to relax and possibly chill alone. Their spot.
Trudging up the hill with orange curls and a blanket-like cape, there she spotted her sister with an amicable friend. Their heads lent on each others, shivering a little but otherwise still. "Edalyn!" She called out. No response. She trekked closer.
"Eda!" No response. Lilith took a dozen - maybe even more - steps towards the pair, each few calling her sister's name but to no avail. About 3 feet away, she could hear her sister's woozy snoring; calm, agitated and still. The person next to her hand their head on her shoulder. They looked so comfy together.
She debated in whether she should wake the pair or not. Lilith needed Eda to come home, otherwise her mother wouldn't let her go anywhere for the next week or so and she didn't want that for her sibling but on the other hand...
Argh! No! Lily couldn't think like that. No way she'd let these two lovebirds win her over. She wouldn't let them. She walked over to Eda, ready to pounce and shake her awake until she saw what lay in between her and her friend.
Raine's hand in hers.
Lilith looked to their faces. A faint blush dusted their cheeks. The duo looked so peaceful, so content, so...happy.
Titan curse Lilith's kindness, because she was actually going to let these to stay out here in the dead of night, sleeping on the mulchy grass without warmth. Well, with warmth now because she took off her shawl (blanket-cape) and hooked it round the two. They looked so snuggly and warm like a cute family! Aah! Lilith just had to snap a picture: To cherish the memory and to use it for blackmail. She was not going to back out of the argument that easily. She needed to go to that book fair. After all, her favourite author was going to be there so she needed her book to be signed.
Lily sighed. "Titan sister, I am too soft with you."
She walked off, leaving the couple to arise in the morrow, regretting but also not regretting their little moment the night prior. She was happy for her sister and even happier that she was guaranteed to get to that book fair. It was a win-win situation for all.
Briefly, she glanced back to the two, herself now off the hill and near the woods, smiling to herself. She'd be an amazing matchmaker. Lilith should probably just join the oracle coven instead and become a famous matchmaker. Titan, she was smart.
Lilith sprung off, with a bounce in each step gleefully entertaining the silly scenarios that would happen tomorrow. Chances were, she'd be yelled at by Edalyn before she came back and begged Lilith not to tell their parents that she was out on the hill. And Lilith would agree on the condition that Eda would tag along with her to the book fest.
Finally, she reached home. Opening the door, she found her mother on a chair awaiting her.
"So? Where's Edalyn?" Mother asked.
"She's staying over at Raine's house." A half-truth, half-lie. She was with Raine, just not at their house. Lilith smiled innocently at her mother.
"Oh good," She said relived, "I was worried she'd go nap in the forest again..."
"It's alright Mother, Edalyn's in good hands." Slight pun intended.
For now, Lilith would let the lovers rest before the calamity that would strike the day after. She was such a good sister.