(no subject)

[futures_of_ash]

She doesn't look innocent when she sleeps. Far from in fact, she's curled far more akin to a hound than a human, cheek cradled on her towel. Her wet hair is spread in the grass like blood, her scarred back turned towards a small fire that leaps and jumps tiredly in the growing night.

There's a plate with lunch on it as well, a sandwich with a few bites taken, a bit of fruit...it seems that the call to sleep was too great after her swim though...so, Rachel is asleep by the lake, there's room enough at the fire for more though.

Comments

[futures_of_ash]

She can't help that, or she won't. There ae greater things out there for him, than to foolishly wish to change what he is...

"That is because you're weird. Or because I'm bright and shiny." she chuckled.

[prone-to-panic.livejournal.com]

"A bit of both, most like. I've never claimed to be anything but strange, I expect it's why I like it here so much. And you are certainly bright and shiny."

He hugs her a little, petting her hair again, absently.

[futures_of_ash]

"Normal is far overrated" she pronounced solemnly before breaking the moment with a dazzling grin and a returned hug "I could give a ferret seizures"

[prone-to-panic.livejournal.com]

And he laughs, and laughs at the sheer absurdity of it.

"Oh... poor ferret..."

But she's never given him seizures, that dubious honor belonged to Simpson alone.

[futures_of_ash]

It's good to hear him laugh, she actually revels in the sound, going quiet and still just to let it continue rolling...but eventually...

"Well, not my fault I fit the bill for every button the poor things have...bright, shiny. distracting..."

[prone-to-panic.livejournal.com]

Another soft chuckle.

"And you wonder why I came over to talk to you that day you were working on that puzzle... You might as well call me a ferret as well, since bright and shiny tend to distract me as well."

[futures_of_ash]

"Luckily for me, you've a higher constitution and will than any plain ferret" she chuckled easily. "Else I'd feel very, very bad about giving you seizures"

"You don't seem to mind the distracting though"

[prone-to-panic.livejournal.com]

"I haven't had fits in a long time, thank God. And you wouldn't be the one to cause them in any rate."

He takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly.

"But yes, distractions are most often very welcome."

[futures_of_ash]

No, she'd hunt down the cause of the fits and kill them, harm them, or if necessary, bring them back to kill...

"And that means we get along"

[prone-to-panic.livejournal.com]

Archie would insist that she not kill him. That's his job. His revenge. BUt that's a story for a different day.

"So it does, my dear, so it does."

[futures_of_ash]

Well, then she'd maim him. Badly. But keep him from falling into unconsciousness? Rachel could be downright viscious when necessary...

"Can't say I'm complaining" she admitted easily.

[prone-to-panic.livejournal.com]

In this? So can Archie. Especially Archie as he is now.

"Well I'm glad for that. I'd hate to inflict my company on someone that doesn't want it."

[futures_of_ash]

Rachel thirsts for company, almost hungers...it's a deep, driving pain that she never tells. She could never turn away someone who accepts her as readily as Archie does.

"Inflict? Inflict? Never Archie!"

[prone-to-panic.livejournal.com]

And Archie's been alone for far too long to ever want to be. He loves his big, strange family, and holds them close as he can, and he will defend them fiercely and at any cost. And she is his sister in spirit as much as anyone could ever be.

"As I said, it's a good thing you like me. I don;t know what I'd do otherwise. I suppose I'd have to live without the bright and shiny..."

It's a little akward, planting a little kiss on the top of her head from this angle, but he manages.

[futures_of_ash]

She actually tries to contemplate life without the brothers she's gathered...and fails. Her mind simply refuses, it shies away, it hides...

How had she lived before this?

"Bright and shiny is a necessity of life" she stated firmly, poking his chest, cause if kissing had been awkward from his angle? It'd break her neck from this one...

[prone-to-panic.livejournal.com]

She hadn't, she'd merely existed maybe. He's coming to think of his lives before this in a similar way.

"So it is, and therefore..."

He makes a good show of pondering this...

"Therefore, I think I'll keep you."

[futures_of_ash]

"You'll keep me?!" she snorted in between giggling "What if I'm keeping you?" she teased, poking him yet again.

[prone-to-panic.livejournal.com]

He squirms a little.

"Stoppit, that... tickles..."

He stretches, grinning up at the sky.

"I might be able to get used to the idea of being a kept man..."