Author's Note: There aren't technically spoilers, but this will make much more sense if you've completed the Shrine of Baction. Anyway, hope you enjoy. (Also, this isn't Rita/Raven, it's like... Rita + Raven. Ristelle 4 life.)

"Wow, you young'uns sure are full of energy! This old man can hardly keep up!"

"Ah, the vigor of youth… You guys have to slow down a bit for this old man."

"You guys sure scale mountains like it's nothing. I don't know how you spring chickens do this."

Rita never thought she would see the day that Raven finally shut up. He complained about everything, from the food to the weather to the quality of the inns they slept in. It was hard to believe he was over twice her age. Sometimes she wanted to turn to him and smack him as hard as she could with her book, if only to get him to just deal with everything silently, like everyone else was! They all suffered just as much as he did!

So… Rita was expecting it to continue. Raven probably didn't like silence, which was why he filled it with complaints whenever he possibly could.

Rita didn't exactly realize something was wrong at first. They were just climbing their way up the mountainous terrain, taking hurried steps. Though no one had said it, they were essentially racing against the Hunting Blades to find Judith, and none of them wanted her to fight them on her own.

But it was quiet. A nice kind of quiet. Yuri and Estelle led the way at the front of the party, like they usually did, and talked together in quiet undertones. Rita wasn't jealous or anything, and wasn't straining her ears to hear, but the roads were only big enough for one at a time, and she was in the back, stuck between Raven at the rear and Karol directly in front of her.

And that was when it clicked. The old man wasn't complaining about everything under the sun. She frowned and glanced behind her — and she wasn't concerned or anything, certainly not about that geezer. He didn't even notice her look, actually, with his gaze focused straight at the ground. His breathing seemed louder than normal, irregular. It seemed like maybe he was a pace or two behind his usual speed. His hand clutched at his chest, and Rita thought that wasn't normal. He didn't normally do that, did he?

"Hey, old man," Rita said.

It took just a beat too long, but Raven lifted his head and met her eyes evenly. His hand dropped to his side in the same motion. "What?" he said, daring to sound amused. "You should know better than to call your elders such cruel names, Rita darlin'."

She scowled and deigned not to acknowledge that. "You out of water or something?" She couldn't think of any other reason why he'd look so pale, but then why the hell would he act like nothing was wrong?

Raven's eyes widened. Just a fraction, but she caught it before he pulled out his canteen. "Sweet of you to worry about this old man here," he said, giving the thing a shake. This close, she could hear the way the water sloshed about inside, could see the way it weighed in his hand. Wait, was his wrist shaking? "But I'm good for a few more hours."

"Hm."

Rita wasn't especially convinced. But the two of them had stopped, and Raven was actually started to look concerned! He had the nerve to knit his brows together when she was the one worrying about him!

"Hey, Rita!" Karol's voice sounded, jarring her. She spun on her heel to saw the rest of the group had paused up ahead. "Raven! Come on!"

"We're comin'!" Raven called in her stead, and Rita wanted to turn around and punch his shoulder for that. She didn't, though. Instead she just huffed and trudged onward to meet up with them.

But… Raven was acting weird, too. If he was totally fine, he'd have some sort of snappy comeback, wouldn't he? Or was she reading too much into this, even though there were all sorts of other things she should be worrying about?

UGH.

"Hey," Rita said as they came up to the others. "Let's take five. My legs are killing me."

They weren't, but it wasn't like anyone was going to call her out on it. Estelle's eyes turned on her, worry creasing her brow, and though it made Rita flush, she wasn't going to accept Estelle's healing artes. Estelle would probably be able to tell nothing was wrong, and then how would Rita explain she'd done it because she suspected Raven needed it? She didn't need them to know she had… had some sort of affection for that guy.

That dumb geezer didn't even have the nerve to second her suggestion! Even as Yuri glanced to Estelle and shrugged, as if he didn't agree or disagree, Raven stayed silent as a statue. "I think there's a wider spot a few minutes ahead," Yuri said. "We'll rest there."

"Yeah, yeah, that's fine," she said with a wave of her hand. But she noticed the way Raven tensed.

If he collapsed, she was going to grab his body and thrust him down the hill, and then they could pick him up on their way back. What an idiot.

He didn't, though, thank goodness. But the moment they reached the outcropping, and Yuri turned to everyone and said, "Five minutes, then we've got to keep moving," Raven was the first to drop to his ass and lean against the mountain.

"Good god," Raven groaned. He didn't pick up his canteen, but Rita saw the way his shoulders heaved. "You adolescents sure love to run this old man ragged, don'tcha?"

Rita glanced around. Estelle's eyes stayed on her, even as she took a seat next to Yuri. Was she really that worried? Rita glanced away from her and instead popped a squat next to Raven.

She wasn't concerned. She didn't really care. Raven was annoying, and honestly, he had a tendency to show up whenever they didn't want him to. But…

Raven frowned at her. She met his eyes evenly, without hesitation, and he finally gave a long-suffering sigh before his hand reached up to clasp at his chest. "Thanks, kid," he muttered, and he was definitely put out by having to thank her. She just didn't get it.

"You could have just said something yourself, y'know," she snapped back, but she kept her voice down. She didn't want the others overhearing just yet, when it seemed like Raven was trying to keep whatever this was on the down-low. "Why didn't you? What's wrong with you?"

Raven laughed when she said that, and… it almost sounded like it hurt. "More like, what isn't wrong with me," he corrected. But her scowl did not move, and she didn't avert her eyes, so he sighed again. "Nah… I have this heart thing. Have for a while. Usually it's fine, but if we're doin' somethin' strenuous, or climbin' high altitudes, it pitches a fit."

Yeah, they were doing both of those right now.

"A… 'heart thing?'" Rita stared at him. Raven finally was the one to look away, and he definitely seemed embarrassed, which made absolutely no sense at all. "So what? Just talk to us, you idiot! If you don't think Yuri and Estelle would wanna take that into consideration, then you're even dumber than you look!"

Raven winced. "Hey, hey," he hushed, and she realized her voice was raising. She waved a hand to Estelle, knowing the princess was probably watching. "Listen. I'd appreciate if you didn't tell them."

"Why not?" Rita hissed, getting ready to punch the man herself. Asking her to keep quiet while she was pissed was asking for a miracle, but she was doing her damnedest. "That is the stupidest thing ever. If you really have a medical condition, then you're practically obligated to tell everyone! What would've happened if I hadn't asked to take a break? Would you have keeled over and just rolled on down the mountain and died, you idiot?"

"Hey now, easy on the idiots,'" Raven replied with a smirk, and if he was finding something funny here, she really was going to push him off. "Nah. I'd probably just lag behind for a bit. It wouldn't ever get like that, unfortunately."

"'Unfortunately?'" Rita echoed, eyebrows raising.

Raven shrugged, like that didn't mean anything at all. "Besides, it'll stay like this till we climb back down. No sense in cryin' over spilt milk, and all that."

"Look, that isn't how illnesses or conditions or whatever actually work, and I think you know that, and I think you know I know that. So cut the bullshit, old man. If you don't say anything to them, then I will."

She stood up, dusting the dirt from her ass, and in the same motion, Raven grabbed her wrist, yanking her back down. "I said no," he hissed, quiet and dark and low.

Rita blinked, and frowned. When she didn't say or do anything else, Raven let go of her with a long sigh. "I'll… get around to it," he finally said, which they both knew was a roundabout way of him getting around her complaint. "Look, I've made it this far without the lot of you knowin'. I know how to take care of m'self."

"Uh huh," Rita said with disdain. Raven pouted at her and she rolled her eyes. "Oh, whatever. I won't tell them, but on one condition: You've got to actually ask for a break when you need one. Okay? If your heart explodes, I don't want to be the one cleaning up."

She was joking, but for a second, Raven looked horrified. Maybe he was picturing it?

What the hell kind of heart condition was it?

He shuddered before getting himself together. "Uh… I dunno how well that'd work for me," Raven said with another shrug. "Like I said, I've made it plenty without any kinda helping hand. Besides, I complain so much, it'd be just a bit like the boy cryin' wolf."

"Fine," Rita snapped, crossing her arms. "Then just tell me when you're being serious, and I'll ask. God."

One beat passed, then two. Rita's face was starting to get red when Raven finally laughed. "Ah, you young'uns." He almost sounded like he was chirping, like a bird about to burst into song. "Yeah, all right. Fine. If you're that worried about me, then I'll play along."

"I-I-I'm not worried!"

"Are you two all right?" Estelle asked, and Rita almost jumped as she realized Estelle was within earshot. "Rita, how are your legs?"

"Uh, they're fine," Rita insisted as she got to her feet, quickly. Raven cackled beside her, and her cheeks burned as she turned to the old man and gave him a good, solid thwack to his head like she did with Karol. Raven yelped, but even still, a huge grin was stretched across his face, and she wished he would just shut up. "W-whatever! Are we ready? Is everyone else done resting? Let's get back on the road, before those dumb Hunting Blades show their faces again!"

"Damn," Yuri said with a small laugh as he got to his feet. But he shrugged, and turned to everyone else, making sure they were all ready to go and weren't forgetting anything important. If he hovered a bit around Karol, Rita wasn't going to call him on it.

"Hey," Raven said, voice softer than before. She blinked as she turned to face him. His face was… darker than usual. "Look, uh. Thanks."

He almost sounded sincere.

"... Are you being sentimental—"

"Now, let's go!" Raven cried, pushing ahead to lead them. "Temza can't be that far ahead!"

Rita shook her head. Damn. Well, if Raven wasn't going to take care of himself, then she would have to do it for him.

Idiot.