I got inspired. What can I say?
To be honest, I don't care what classes you picture the characters as. It doesn't matter here. The only obvious ones are Raven (BM) and Eve (CEm). Have fun imagining the others.
(23 pages. Most of which is shameless fluff. Shoot me.)
"You heard me! Either pay up or get lost, ya bunch of kids!"
Such were the words of a crotchety innkeeper they'd met on their way to their latest job.
Kilometers past Feita yet far from Velder, there was a request for the capture of some thieves who were taking full advantage of the chaos brought on by the demon attacks. The small town of Karden - Small enough not to be shown on a regional map - faced many problems with looting and couldn't handle it without risking their own lives. As the six El protectors had no other major priorities once the rebuilding of Feita was finished, they collectively decided it wouldn't be a bad idea to take care of the thieves before they got out of hand. However, it would take another day to reach Karden at their normal walking speed.
Their options consisted of camping out in the forest like they always did or staying at the inn that was on the road to their destination. Either was doable as, for once, they had some Ed to spare.
It wasn't enough for how many rooms they needed, though. According to the ill-tempered man running the inn, there were plenty of rooms available but they were all made for two people. Having three girls and three boys wasn't a very accommodating ratio. Oberon and Ophelia also made space an issue. At most they had enough for three rooms when they needed four or five at a minimum; and they'd already discovered that negotiating wasn't an option. Elsword tried it and was met with the same yelling they'd taken their departure at.
As a result, their camping option was their only remaining option. The redhead wasn't thrilled.
"That old man oughta' learn a thing or two about respect…" he grumbled.
"The same could be said for you," Aisha replied angrily as she walked beside him. "Maybe if you hadn't been so rude and demanding…" Elsword shoved his free hand into his pocket, the other turning white from his grip on his sword.
"You'd think the geezer would budge since we're famous…"
"Fame doesn't get you far," Raven added from the back, "and saying we're 'famous' is a stretch to begin with. It's not as if we're known around the continent like the Lady of El."
"Besides, isn't it better to do things for people without asking for anything in return?" Chung asked rhetorically.
"Have some modesty," Eve chimed in. Elsword sank further into his own disappointment at being scolded by four people at once.
"I just think it sucks that we're gonna have to sleep outside when we can sleep in a real bed…"
"It's not that bad, Elsword," Rena said calmly. "It's not as if we haven't done this before. Inns are a treat."
"That we deserve…"
"Drop it, you idiot," Aisha snapped. "Or need I remind you that it's your own fault? If you'd been more careful with your words, maybe we could've gotten the man to lower the price…" Chung hummed in disagreement.
"I don't think he was very agreeable, actually. I doubt we would've gotten him to lower the price even if Elsword hadn't been so rude."
"Yeah… You're probably right."
"I don't know if I should thank you for that comment or not."
"I… I don't need thanking…"
"Come on, cheer up a little bit!" Rena tried to cheer Elsword up. "It'll be just like old times, traveling from Ruben all the way to- …"
The others, noticing that their friend was no longer talking, stopped walking and turned around. Rena was facing the opposite direction, head turned to the distant sky. Her silence continued into seconds and she didn't show even the slightest movement.
"… Rena…?" Aisha called softly. "Are you okay…?" The tips of the elf's ears twitched, but other than that there was no response.
"Is something amiss?" Eve asked, tilting her head to one side. More silence.
Finally, Rena spoke. "I thought I sensed something…" she mumbled, facing her friends again. "I'm starting to wonder if it's safe to camp outside tonight or not…"
"What do you mean?" Chung blinked. "Do you sense danger?" For a second, Rena was silent again. She quickly shook her head.
"No, it's nothing. Nevermind, you guys!" Her grin returned promptly. "I was just being silly. Forget it."
She resumed walking, cutting off any further questions the others might've had. Elsword and Aisha shared a concerned glance, but it was brief and ended as the redhead shrugged and followed after his older companion. The walk was much quieter after that, the former bickering having vanished with the interruption.
Raven, who remained at the back of the group, eyed the elf curiously as she regaled Chung and Eve with a story from when she'd first met Elsword and Aisha. He wanted to ask her about her worried expression back there. She hardly ever wore anything but a smile outside of battle so seeing her look apprehensive was just… off. Of course, he could just be imagining it. That was the likeliest option. It was sometimes hard to trust his mind where Rena was concerned.
Still… He was pretty good at reading people. Maybe he should try to find out what was wrong.
His chance to question the archer came when they were setting up their camp. While there was still a considerable amount of daylight, going any further would cost them the shelter of the forest. It was better to stay and then pick up again tomorrow.
"I'll go get more water for us," Chung offered. "There's more vegetation around here and the temperature is cooler. There must be a river or stream flowing somewhere near."
"That is not necessary," Eve said. "I can have Oberon do that for us."
"Oh, no! I don't mind!" Chung insisted. "Besides, Oberon does so much already…"
"Have it your way." Chung nodded and went around collecting everyone's canteens before disappearing into the trees. Eve gestured to her servants. "Oberon, Ophelia, you may rest for now." Ophelia nodded and bowed to her queen. Oberon, much less gracefully, collapsed on the ground with all limbs spread.
In the midst of putting out her bedroll, Rena's head snapped up and around. Again she looked to the sky and, again, there was a noticeable change in her demeanor. Raven didn't hesitate to point it out.
"This is the second time today you've stopped what you're doing to look like that, Rena," he noted. "What's wrong?" Elsword and Aisha paused their own actions, awaiting their sister figure's reply. Rena's brow creased.
"Was… Was the sky always that dark?"
At her question, the other four followed her gaze to confirm. Sure enough, the once-clear sky had darkened considerably without their knowing. Heavy clouds were rolling in over the distance, heralding an incoming storm.
"Since when have those been there?" Elsword asked flatly. Aisha frowned.
"They weren't there earlier but… it looks like it's going to get pretty bad."
"I thought so…" Rena mumbled. Despite having said it under her breath, Raven's sensitive hearing picked it up.
"Is that why you looked so anxious earlier? You felt the storm coming?" Rena nodded slowly, turning away from the sky.
"I'm… I can usually sense when they're coming, no matter how far away they are," she admitted, biting her lip. "Earlier I thought it would be better to go back and try to get rooms since I had a feeling, but I wasn't sure if I should've said something or not."
"Yeah, you should've!" Elsword exclaimed. "I don't want to stay outside during a storm! We're gonna get soaked!"
"I'm with Elsword on this one," Aisha said. "Being outside in a storm doesn't sit well with me at all. It's too dangerous! But with how much the innkeeper said the rooms are…"
"What if I sent Oberon and Ophelia ahead to do a preliminary inspection?" Eve proposed. "That would be two people less to take up space." Aisha stared at the Nasod skeptically.
"Can… Can they cover the distance…?"
"Of course!" Eve huffed. "When not hindered by your human walking pace, they are incredibly fast. They could get there much quicker than we ever could at this rate." Turning to her servants, she asked, "Would you be willing to partake in such a task?" Ophelia nodded without hesitation. Oberon, now sitting up, looked more fretful over the idea. Eve narrowed her eyes coldly. "Come now, Oberon. You wouldn't want your queen out in a storm now would you? Would you?" Afraid of punishment, Oberon jumped to his feet and saluted to Eve. She folded her arms. "That is more like it."
"Solid plan," Elsword began, "but how're the townspeople going to know that they're there to help? They can't even talk!"
"I beg your pardon?" Eve's brow rose. "I have programmed them with the necessary patterns for everyday speech. They simply do not speak unless I grant them permission, though Oberon's helmet prevents anyone but Nasods from hearing him. That is correct, Ophelia? You have my permission to respond vocally."
"Yes, my queen," the female maid replied with a nod of her head. "We can communicate with others only if we are allowed." Ophelia bowed to Eve before continuing. "If my queen wishes, we will depart for Karden immediately. I will inform the town head of my queen's intentions and take care of a preliminary investigation."
"Thank you. You may cease speaking now." Ophelia nodded. Elsword simply stared.
"… Everything I know is a lie…"
"I am sorry to hear that." Eve glanced between Rena, Raven, and Aisha, her expression clearly not apologetic whatsoever. "Does this setup please you all?"
"If we all cram into two rooms it does," Raven replied. "That doesn't sound very comfortable." Rena fidgeted with the end of her bedroll.
"I'd still prefer being in a cramped room than being out here for the whole night," she said quietly. Aisha tapped her chin in thought.
"... Actually," she mused aloud, "I may have an idea that would suit us just fine - Three rooms and all." Elsword's eyes widened.
"Really? What is it?" Aisha shook her head.
"Not saying yet. Just trust me! It'll work, okay? Anyway Elsword, it's not something you're going to be upset over."
"Aisha, it'd be best if you told us exactly what you're planning on doing beforehand so we know what to expect," Raven pointed out.
"It won't work as well if I tell you now!" Aisha insisted. "Just trust me! When have I ever lead you guys astray?"
"How about when we had to take the long way through the Underground Chapel because you thought the main way had too many ghosts?" The magician sent Elsword a heated glare.
"You're taking my words way too literally…"
"... I trust you, Aisha," Rena said. "I'll take your word for it that you have a good plan." Aisha beamed at her agreement.
"See? Rena knows I have good ideas! Why can't you guys be more like her?" Elsword grumbled at the comment.
"Well… if Rena agrees, then…"
"I do," Rena repeated. "I really do. We should trust Aisha with this, okay?"
Suddenly, the bushes parted and Chung stepped back into the clearing, arms full with the engorged canteens.
"I'm back, guys! Did I miss much?"
"I can't believe we agreed to let her use her idea or whatever," Elsword muttered. "I have a bad feeling about this. We should've forced her to tell us what she's planning. I don't trust her."
"I do," Chung said innocently. "Miss Aisha has had a lot of good plans in the past, so I don't think her ideas outside of battle strategies will be any worse. Besides, why didn't you protest more if you wanted her to explain her idea so badly?"
"I thought he'd protest more!" Elsword snapped, pointing at Raven accusingly. "Why didn't you pester her!? She probably would've listened to you over me!"
Raven closed his eyes and turned away from the fiery redhead, not willing to explain himself and only anger the boy more. How was he supposed to protest when Rena seemed so insistent on it? He knew it was bad but he found he had a hard time speaking up against her when the situation wasn't dire.
And, truthfully, he'd take any chance to not have to sleep outside during rain. He was used to the elements, sure, but like any sane person on the continent he liked to be dry while he slept.
"Have a little more faith in Aisha, Elsword," Rena chided gently. "She told you there was nothing to worry about, didn't she?"
"Perhaps he is agitated because we are made to wait outside," Eve pondered, "while Aisha is inside dealing with the innkeeper. I admit even I am skeptical of her actions, starting with her being the one to handle the payment of the rooms."
"Hmm… Alright, you're right about that being a little strange." Elsword growled and tapped his foot impatiently.
"She's taking too long."
"It's only been two minutes," Chung reminded him.
"Yeah, but it took us time to get back here and it's gonna be dark soon!"
"Miss Aisha does have to make arrangements for three rooms after all… Although I'm more than curious as to how this is going to work out."
"Knowing her, it isn't… Wait. " Elsword's eyes grew in size. "Don't tell me… she's going to try and use sex appeal on that guy?! Oh man, we're all screwed!"
The inn's front door suddenly flew open, smacking the young knight in the face. Aisha closed it behind her, nose turned up sourly. "Gee, thanks for the compliment, you dork. Like I would ever do something like that. I have dignity, you know."
"You have dignity, alright. You got that instead of-"
"M-Miss Aisha, how did it go?" Chung interrupted before Elsword's insult could finish. "What's our arrangement like?"
"A better question would be," Eve began, "was the man willing to put us up for the night?"
"Of course he was," Aisha said with a smile as she held up the room keys. "At least… He wasn't wholly opposed to it. The rooms are paid for already." She handed the keys to each of her friends, always double-checking to make sure she wasn't giving the wrong ones out.
"One-o-three…" Elsword mumbled his designated room number.
"Oh, I have that one too," Chung said, holding up his key. "See?"
"Huh… So it's me and you then."
"Yup! The man gave out the room numbers based on my convincing."
"... 'Convincing'?" Raven echoed. He wasn't sure why, but he had a very bad feeling about this… Nevertheless, he tentatively questioned, "What kind of 'convincing'?"
"Nothing that warrants that tone of voice," Aisha snorted. "Like I've been saying, have a little faith in me!"
"It's hard to have faith in you when you're dodging the question like that."
"… Raven," Rena started, "did you by any chance get room number one hundred and two?"
"Huh? I…" Not having actually checked, Raven took a quick look at his key. Surprisingly, the elf had guessed his room number right. "Yeah, I did. How did you know that?" Lips pressed into a thin line, Rena wordlessly held up her own key for him to see.
He found the numbers one, zero, and two were embedded in it.
Oh.
Oh.
"I thought so," Rena said. "Care to explain now, Aisha?"
"Uhh, well… This seemed like the only logical way to separate us. I mean, putting Elsword with me or Eve would've been a bad idea. He's annoying as heck and immature to boot. So I made sure he got a room with Chung. They even each other out."
"Hey!"
"You don't want to room with me?"
"No, not that! She just called me annoying!"
"She only spoke the truth."
"Thanks a lot, Eve…"
"I think," Raven cut in sternly, "what Rena meant is… Why are we placed in the same room?"
"Because you guys are the adults here and are more mature? I went through all possibilities in my head earlier and this is the only way it works out!"
"I don't see this as 'working out'." Rena sighed.
"At least we know why she wouldn't tell us earlier…" True. Raven doubted he'd have agreed to this had he known he'd wind up sleeping in the same room as the archer. Aisha's hands went to her hips.
"Look, the rooms are already paid for and I doubt we're going to get a refund after all the hassle. You guys can deal with it for one night, can't you? It's not like you haven't slept near each other before."
That was also true, Raven noted. The difference was that 'near' meant in an open space and with a whole bunch of other people. Sleeping with only one other person in a confined space had an entirely different notation behind it.
"I can deal with it," Rena said. Raven's head snapped to the side before he could stop himself.
"Really...?" he asked. Rena looked at him in confusion.
"Yes, why do you ask? It's only for one night, like Aisha said. We've been put in worse situations. Are you uncomfortable with sharing a room with me?"
"No," Raven answered. Perhaps a little too quickly, in hindsight. "That's not… I'm…"
"Cat got your tongue?" Elsword snickered. Raven whipped around and glared at the younger swordsman. The redhead just shrugged at him. Finding no immediate, calm and collected way of telling Elsword to shut up, Raven simply sighed and continued,
"It's fine with me. I don't mind."
"Are we allowed in yet?" Chung asked, pointing to the sky. "If we stay out here any longer, those clouds are going to catch up to us."
"Can we, Aisha?" Rena followed. The magician nodded.
"Of course! There's no reason to stay out here longer. We can talk inside, can't we?"
"Perfect~" Without speaking further, Rena opened the inn's door and dashed through - Five confused friends left behind.
"Is… Is Miss Rena alright?" Chung frowned in concern. "She seemed awfully intent on coming back here…" Elsword snorted.
"Do you want to sleep outside in the rain?"
"No, but-"
"Exactly. Besides, she'd tell us if something was wrong!" Chung didn't look very convinced. He was about to protest further when a drop of water landed on his nose. He looked up in surprise, only to have another drop hit his forehead.
"Looks like the rain's starting, guys. We should head in."
There were no objections to this.
Despite it being his own room, Raven felt the need to knock before trying to enter. The absolute last thing he wanted was to walk in and find that Rena was changing, or something equally as embarrassing for the two of them. He didn't need more ammunition against him. (Elsword was being given enough as it was.)
When he didn't get a response straightaway, he carefully opened the door - It was open, so she should be in there - and peered inside. He found her staring up and out the window into the dark gray clouds above.
"… You know, finding you looking at the sky is becoming less and less of a surprise to me," he said, stepping in and closing the door behind him. Rena made no immediate effort to reply, but eventually tore herself away from the window.
"This is going to get really bad later tonight," she told him. "I can feel it." Raven eyebrow peaked curiously.
"You can also tell how bad a storm is going to get? I didn't realize you were this adept at predicting the weather." Rena giggled at his dry tone.
"Just with storms, I'm afraid… You could say I'm attuned to them."
"I see…" With the conversation heading nowhere, Raven observed the room itself. Nothing fancy about it as far as he could see; plain and simple, as one would expect a roadside inn to be. He'd definitely been in worse places for much longer than one night.
Oddly enough, though the sun had barely set Rena had already changed into her sleepwear - Her black shirt and green shorts, the only other set of clothing she readily traveled with. Her bag and bow were to the side of the bed nearest to the wall.
"... Are you really planning on going to sleep now?"
"Huh? Oh, right. My outfit." Rena filled with her camisole's strap. "Not just yet, no; but soon. I'd like to be knocked out enough to avoid this storm completely, that's all. I'm going to make myself some tea and then try to fall asleep. The innkeeper said I could use the kitchen if I wanted to. Anyway, it's better to wake up early tomorrow, right?"
"You're going to walk around this place looking like that?"
"What's wrong with this?"
"Objectively, nothing I suppose…" Raven grimaced, "but what if someone sees you like that? You don't know who else is staying here."
"I'm not sure I understand what you- Oh." Rena blinked. "Do you mean other men? Are you afraid someone might leer or make eyes at me?" Raven's mouth opened, but no sound came out. He wasn't sure how to reply to that without making a fool of himself. Thankfully Rena continued before he could say something idiotic. "Don't worry about me," she assured him with a grin. "I can take care of myself. If anyone stares for long, I can just demonstrate how powerful my kicks can be."
The swordsman inwardly cringed. He pitied the person on the receiving end of that punishment. Rena went to her chosen bed and rummaged through her bag.
"Now, if you'll kindly move from in front of the door," the elf started, pulling out a bag of dried leaves, "I'll be off to make my tea."
Quietly Raven stepped to the side, allowing Rena to move past. As she disappeared into the hallway, he couldn't help but wonder. She seemed fine now, not apprehensive like she'd been before. He wanted to think he'd been imagining it, but he knew he hadn't.
And he really had to wonder if it had anything to do with the weather.
"You are a terrible liar."
"Eh?" Aisha paused, hand halfway through releasing her pigtails. "What are you talking about, Eve?" Eve stared at the purplenette from her spot on her bed.
"Your so-called logic from before had nothing to do with accommodating us according to how irritable Elsword is," the queen noted blankly. "You merely wanted to put Rena and Raven into the same room."
"… Was I that obvious?"
"Yes. Although I remain unsure of your reasons." Aisha pulled her hair ties out, letting her hair hang down past her shoulders.
"Call it revenge," she said, "for Rena always teasing me and Elsword. I need more to use against her so I can defend myself, okay?"
"I do and do not understand your reasoning, but I assume this is because I do not see the point to Rena's teasing of you either. I also feel the need to point out that Raven is more likely than Rena to feel uncomfortable over the situation. Rena is far more… at ease, I believe is a good term to use."
"Yes, but that makes teasing Raven even more fun," Aisha snickered. Eve continued to stare at her.
"I am unsure of why you wish to make fun of Raven."
"Don't you ever do things for... I don't know, enjoyment?"
"Not really. I do not wish to partake in anything that does not have an important purpose."
"So I guess a pillow fight is out of the question for tonight?"
"… … …"
"Yeah, I thought so…"
Raven's initial misgivings about sharing a room with Rena wore off once she was asleep. Not even an hour after she'd finished her tea, the archer had buried herself under her covers and quickly fell under. Raven had no idea why he was so relieved by this, but at least he could rest without feeling too weird about the situation.
His uneasiness returned shortly after the rolling sound of thunder woke him up in the middle of the night.
Having thought he could sleep through most things, he was amazed that simple thunder could rouse him. Already facing the window, Raven tried to focus on the outside through his bleary vision. A streak of lightning passed through that illuminating the room enough for him to see clearly again. The rain was coming down in droves, battering the glass roughly and doing so in tune with the howling wind - Creating one of the loudest noises he'd ever heard. If he hadn't believed Rena before when she said it was going to get bad, he definitely did now.
He cursed under his breath. He was supposed to try and fall asleep again with that in the background? With the rain, the wind, and windows that sounded like the glass was going to break under the pressure of both? Talk about a pain in the ass. He turned over onto his opposite side with a scowl, hoping to at least ignore the bright flashes the lightning created.
As he did, a cry came from underneath him.
"Nnng… Don't move so much…" a drowsy voice whined.
"Huh…? Oh, sorry…" Raven apologized just as tiredly, settling into his new position more softly. He then made his first attempt to doze off with the incredible amount of background noise from nature.
It took ten seconds for his sleep-addled brain to realize that there wasn't supposed to be another person in his bed.
Raven's eyes sprang open instantly. He quickly propped himself up on his left arm and, hoping that he was just hallucinating, looked down. His mouth went dry upon seeing Rena curled up beside him.
Every sane response he had flew out into the rain. All that came out of him was stammering.
"Whu- Wait- Wha-? How-? What? R-Rena, what are you-? Why are you in my bed?" The elf mumbled something incoherent, but her eyes remained closed. Raven shook her shoulder. "Oi, Rena…!"
"I heard you…" she grunted, finally opening her eyes. She bent her neck back to get a better look at Raven's face. "Sorry… I hoped you wouldn't notice."
"You thought I wouldn't notice someone else in my bed."
"Not the smartest thing, I know… I didn't expect you to wake up."
"Hard to sleep with what's going on outside. Now, mind telling me why you're-?"
Bright light filled the room, followed by the deafening roar of thunder. Rena squeaked and dug her face into Raven's chest, clutching at his shirt to keep him close. Raven nearly choked on his own breath.
"O-Oi! What's gotten into you!?" he exclaimed shakily.
"Nothing!" came Rena's high-pitched reply. "I'm fine!"
"Don't give me that! If you were fine, you wouldn't be in bed with me!" Before he could realize his poor choice of wording, more thunder sounded and shook the windows. Rena flinched and reaffirmed her grip on him. It was then that Raven's mind started to slowly put things together. "Wait… Rena, you… Are you afraid of thunder?" At the question, Rena loosened her grasp slightly.
"If I said yes," she whispered, "what would you think?" That was more than a yes for him. Raven blew his bangs up. Well, that certainly explained her anxiousness and hypersensitivity to the weather...
"I would think… I would think that's a relatively normal fear to have," he said. "Though I admit I never expected you to be afraid of thunder of all things."
"It's… It's not just thunder," Rena admitted cautiously. "It's storms in general."
"In general…?" For a moment, there was no speaking from either of them - Only the rain battering against the window. Slowly Rena craned her neck back again and looked at Raven with shy, frightened greenish-yellow eyes.
"When I was very young," she began softly, "I got lost in one of the deeper parts of the forest surrounding my home. My friend and her elder brother had brought me along on a fairy hunt… We weren't going to harm them, especially since we didn't even know if they still existed… but the rumor was that if you caught one, you'd be blessed with good fortune. We were so sure they were in our forest…"
"… But…?" Raven urged her. Rena bit her lip nervously.
"The forest is thick," she explained. "Children aren't allowed to go by themselves because they could get lost. I thought we'd be fine because my friend's brother was with us, and he was almost grown... but instead…"
"... You got lost, didn't you?" The archer nodded.
"It was getting dark, and we decided to head back… and I was with my friends the whole time, until I saw a light through the trees. I thought it was one of the lanterns from my village. I thought I'd found a shortcut, so I ran off that way.
"I think you can guess… it wasn't a shortcut. When I got close, the light disappeared and… Even now I don't know what it was. After chasing it, however, I didn't know how to get back. I tried calling for my friends but neither of them heard me. Then it started to rain, and things got worse from there. I was frantic, trying to find shelter before I got soaked. I wound up in a space underground made by a large rock and some tree roots; but it was hardly what you'd call safe.
"The rain turned into a violent storm. From inside the little cave I had, I could still feel the wind and I still got wet. When the thunder and lightning started… I didn't know what to do. It was so loud and so close… It struck the ground just feet away from me, and decimated one of the trees. I was frightened out of my wits at the possibility of that happening to me."
Rena brought her face to Raven's chest again, taking a deep, strangled breath. Instead of pulling away, Raven began slowly stroking her hair. Awkward position or not, he couldn't tolerate when one of his friends was literally trembling with fear. Especially her.
"So that's what happened…" he mused. "No wonder you're terrified. How did you get back?"
"Some of the adults of the village eventually found me when the storm let up, just before sunrise…" Rena told him. "My friends and I were all heavily scolded for going to the forest without supervision, though I got the worst of it for running off. I didn't care about being punished though. I… I was just glad to be home.
"Raven, that… That was a horrific experience. I'd never been so scared before. Do you know what it's like being trapped like that, and having to sit and endure and wonder if you're going to be able to return to your family unharmed? The lightning was right there and it could've gotten me-"
"But it didn't," Raven said, continuing his attempt to calm her down. "It didn't get you. You survived." Rena didn't respond. Raven thought to ask if she was okay again, but as her shaking slowly stopped and turned into light breathing he knew she was slowly getting better.
"I'm sorry I snuck into your bed," the elf eventually spoke. "The thunder woke me up. I couldn't get back to sleep and I didn't want to disturb you. Plus… I figured you'd say no if I said I wanted to sleep with you."
"Err- Umm…" Raven felt his ears and face heat up. Relieved that the darkness prevented Rena from seeing him turn various shades of red, he quickly berated himself for getting so worked up. There were only so many ways to word that, after all. "I- I don't think I would've said no per say, but… Can I ask why you…?"
"In my village, communal sleep is encouraged when one has faced some sort of devastation or trauma," Rena explained. "Do humans not do that sort of thing?"
"N-Not really, unless it's between family… and you're supposed to ask first."
"As with back home; but I didn't want to wake you up. If I had and you'd said no I would have disturbed you for no reason."
"I wouldn't have minded," Raven insisted, "especially if you mentioned why you wanted to sleep with- next to me." Right. That was definitely a better way of wording it.
"I see…" Rena hummed. A flash of light appeared again, followed by more thunder. It wasn't nearly as loud as it had been but it was enough to make her tense up - Which Raven felt under his touch. "I'm… sorry for not asking beforehand. Should I move back to my own bed?"
"… I…" Raven bit the inside of his cheek. It was definitely embarrassing, having her so close… If Elsword or the others found out, they'd never let him live it down. And they would definitely target him with their jokes. Whether he wanted to admit it or not, it was dreadfully easy to get a rise out of him in comparison to Rena. Plus, there was a good chance that they'd both wake up to a… certain bodily function of his. That was mortifying in and of itself.
And yet… he didn't bother stopping what came out of his mouth next.
"You can stay," he answered. "I'm not angry with you for sneaking into my bed. Just… a little surprised; but I'm not going to let you ride the storm out in fear all night." Rena smiled in gratitude.
"Thank you, Raven… You're a great friend."
Raven reddened again as she snuggled closer and wrapped her arms around him. Friend. Right. That's exactly what they were. That's why this wasn't wrong. They were friends. He was just trying to help his friend not be afraid of the weather. It wasn't… sexual, or anything. It was… What had she called it? Communal sleeping? Communal; shared by members of a community; for common use. Yes, that was it. They were just two friends helping each other wait out the storm.
By hugging each other close.
Just the two of them.
In the same bed.
And in that moment, Raven prayed very hard to the Lady of El that the aforementioned bodily function would not be their wake-up call in the morning.
By dawn, the storm had completely passed over the region. The only evidence that there had been one was the amount of debris and broken branches strewn everywhere. Upon seeing the outside through her room's window, Aisha was more than relieved that they'd managed to get rooms for the night.
As she and Eve were getting their bags together, the door opened and Elsword barged in.
"Hey you guys, ready to go? Me and Chung are-"
"Insolence!" Eve yelled as she tossed a pillow at the redhead. "How dare you enter a lady's room without permission!"
"What? You guys are both dressed, what difference does it make?" Elsword snapped, throwing the pillow back to the bed.
"That doesn't mean you shouldn't knock first, idiot," Aisha huffed. "What do you want, anyway?"
"Just making sure you guys are ready to go. That's all." Elsword scowled. "No need to throw things at me." Eve turned her nose up at him.
"Of course we are ready. We are not fools. I am rather surprised you feel the need to ask us."
"You guys are all ready, then?" Aisha asked.
"Yeah, Chung is waiting at the entrance. He wakes up super early so we've been ready for about an hour. I just came back to get the rest of you since you guys are slow."
"The rest of us? Wait, Raven and Rena aren't out there with you?"
"Nah, I was going to get them after you and Eve. Speaking of which, I'll go do that now. Hurry up and go meet Chung so he doesn't think I'm procrastinating or pulling a prank on you." Elsword ducked into the hallway once again, closing the door as he did. Aisha blinked.
"… Wow… Usually Rena's awake as soon as the sun rises. Wonder what's up."
"So long as the reason does not hinder our leave, I do not care." Eve slipped her bag over her shoulder and headed for the door. "I am most sore about having to organize my things by myself. I wish to go as soon as possible so I may meet with Oberon and Ophelia once again. I will be at the entrance. Do hurry."
Aisha snorted as her temporary roommate left. "Well, excuse me, queenie… No need to tell me to hurry up. Elsword already-" As she said his name, the door slammed open and Elsword returned, making her jump in surprise.
"Aisha-!"
"Can you please knock!?" the magician screamed, trying to calm her furiously-beating heart. "You scared me out of my skin just now! What the heck are you doing, running around like that?" Elsword motioned for her to follow him, his expression a strange mix of eagerness and disbelief as he simply said,
"You have to come see this."
Out of curiosity, she decided to see what had gotten her teammate so excited. She followed him to the next room over, room one hundred and two where their other two friends were staying. Elsword tiptoed to the door, gently twisted the knob, and opened it slowly. "They forgot to lock it," he said with a grin. Aisha gave him a disciplinary glare, which he ignored in favor of gesturing to the inside of the room. "Just look!" She did. Very cautiously, she peered into the day-lit room.
The first thing she noticed was the first bed's lack of occupancy.
The second thing she noticed, with further squinting, was the amount of people in the second bed.
Aisha's face turned pink as she fought to keep her mouth from completely falling open. "Oh, no way in heck… That isn't… Are they…?" Elsword was trying very hard to keep himself from laughing.
"I don't know, but I'm not getting closer to check," he sniggered. "Did you know this would happen when you made those arrangements?"
"N-No!" Aisha exclaimed, instantly covering her mouth. At her urging, Elsword shut the door again. The purplenette was now free to panic. "No, I didn't know that would happen! I just- I just wanted to tease Rena a little, that's all! I didn't think they'd… they'd… Oh, my El…"
"So what do we do? We need to get going, but uh…" Elsword coughed uncomfortably. "They don't look like they're moving anytime soon." Aisha's face flushed further.
"Oh, El… I don't… Just… Just knock really loudly and pretend you didn't see anything."
"What about you?"
"Shut up and knock so we can get going." Elsword shrugged and did just that. He banged his fist against the door a few times with enough strength to guarantee he'd be heard.
"Oi, you guys! Wake up! We gotta go somewhere, remember!?"
The door was eventually pulled away from his knocking by a very irritated-looking Raven.
"Do you have to be so obnoxious this early in the morning?" he scowled. Though he tried to hide it, Elsword's grin began to creep back.
"Only because you guys are late," he informed his brother figure smugly. "You guys are the last ones up, you know. The rest of us are waiting."
"… Really?"
"Eeeeyup." Raven let out an exasperated groan.
"Great… We'll be out soon. Go wait at the front of the inn or something." With that, the disgruntled man shut the door and cut off the conversation. Elsword let his smile through and began to crack up again.
"Did you see his face…?"
"No. I was too busy avoiding eye contact."
"Tch. Pansy."
"Rena. Oi, Rena. Wake up."
"Mmm…?" Rena's eyes cracked open, blinking to adjust to the light. The first thing she saw was Raven hurriedly putting on his pants and sneakers. "What is it…?"
"It's morning. Elsword and the others are already awake and ready to leave." The archer sat up slowly and pushed the covers back.
"Even Elsword is awake? How late is it?"
"Doesn't look that late," Raven said as he slipped his jacket on. As he gathered his bag and sword, he continued with, "As unlikely as it sounds, he probably just got up early for once. We have to hurry."
"You look like you're all set to go already," Rena noted, swinging her legs over the edge of the bed. "Why don't you go ahead and meet with the others? I'll be fine on my own for a few minutes."
"Alright…" Before leaving the room, he threw her one last glance and asked, "Are you… feeling better?" Rena smiled.
"Much better," she replied with a relieved sigh. "Thanks for putting up with me last night, Raven." Though his was much less noticeable, the swordsman gave a smile of his own.
"Anytime."
When Raven made it to the front of the inn, Chung greeted him with a smile.
"Good morning, Raven! How are you feeling? It's rare for Elsword to be awake before you… Even if I was the one to get him up in the first place." Elsword rolled his eyes.
"Am I the measuring stick for laziness or something?"
"Yes," Eve confirmed without hesitation. Her golden eyes scanned the area for their remaining teammate, but failed to locate her. "Where is Rena? I assumed you two would be together."
"Rena told me to meet you guys since she still had to get herself together," Raven replied. "She should be out in a few."
"Oh, I see."
"… S-So how did you all sleep last night?" Aisha stuttered. "Eve and I were fine, for the most part…" Eve folded her arms.
"I apologize for not grasping the concept of a 'pillow fight'. It seemed ludicrous anyway."
"I learned that Elsword has problems with snoring," Chung shared. "I mean… I knew that before but when we're not outside it's a lot more noticeable. And loud. Not as loud as the storm, of course, but…" Elsword waved off the taunt in favor of harassing his mentor.
"How about you, Raven?" he asked with a wide grin. "How did you and Rena do last night?" Aisha's mouth parted at his question.
"You are seriously- Ugh, I don't believe you…" she muttered. Raven wondered about the purplenette's reaction, but swiftly brushed it off as the result of an argument she'd had with Elsword earlier. Their fights were incredibly common.
"We managed alright, with the storm and all…" he said. "Well, I was alright. Rena had a bit of a rough time, though." Aisha's face exploded with color. She buried herself in her hands, muttering a chant to help her disappear. Elsword's grin widened further.
"Is that so? Why's that?" Raven opened his mouth to reply, but stopped himself short. Should he explain about Rena's fear of storms? Was he supposed to? The others had a right to know, didn't they?
Yet the fact that they didn't already know meant that Rena had purposely kept them out of it. Hell, he'd only discovered it because of their room arrangements. Clearly she didn't want this to be common knowledge. He could respect that; but answering Elsword's question…
"Err…" Raven scratched behind his head. "I don't think she'd appreciate me sharing something that private that with you. Sorry. You'll have to ask her yourself."
By this point, Aisha had turned vermillion and was using the side of the inn to hold herself up and Elsword was close to breaking out into laughter. Eve and Chung remained clueless.
"I-Is Miss Aisha okay?" The cannoneer stared at her in worry. "She looks a little feverish…"
"She was not ill last night," Eve informed him. "Perhaps she is developing something? I am not familiar with human illnesses."
"Nah, she's fine," Elsword reassured them. "She's just a little… shellshocked."
"From what?" Raven asked dryly. "What did you do now?"
"I didn't do anything!"
"She gets worse every time you speak. Obviously you did something."
"Are you bullying Aisha again, Elsword?" the familiar chime of Rena's voice came. The elf emerged from the inn otherwise quietly, bag over her shoulders and bow in-hand. "You know I don't condone that…"
"I wasn't bullying her!" the redhead protested.
"Good morning, Miss Rena," Chung greeted her as warmly as he had Raven. "How was your night?"
"Oh, the noise from the storm bothered me a little but I was fine other than that!" Rena smiled. "Raven is a wonderful roommate. He knows just what a girl needs~"
Though anyone could tell her tone was a joking one, her words unwittingly sent Aisha to the ground, huddled in a ball and left muttering "Oh god, oh god, oh god, oh god…" over and over again. Elsword finally gave in and began laughing at her reaction. The other four explorers simply looked at their teammates, bewildered beyond belief.
"Did… Did I miss something?" Rena asked. Raven shook his head.
"Your guess is as good as mine."
Elsword and Aisha are perverts, pass it on.
In all seriousness, we know nothing about Rena from the game or Eltype. Only about her race. So forgive me for taking liberties with her backstory. (Not like other people haven't done that before.)