(Plenty of different plot twists left and right. Thanks for holding out on me, readers. Enjoy this next chapter! Also, same goes for here as does with Triple Trouble. No more limits on how many words I put in each chapter so things might get longer from here on.)
(Lots of emotional moments packed into this as well! You won't be disappointed, guys w b)
Code 404
Chapter 11: Recovering
By - Shadistic Archdevil
Assistance from Sangelvii
Setting: Code Household
Time: 6:30 AM
Objectives: None Available for Public View
Eve moaned lightly and she felt her hands wrapped around the blanket. Her hazel tinted gaze made its way around her as she noticed that Raven was absent from the bed. Slightly upset, but mostly tired, she sat up and rubbed her eyes while yawning. Around her stomach were marks, signaling to her that Raven had held on tight for the time he was in bed with her. She muttered about his loyalty before getting up to brush and shower. One small note took ahold of her eyes as she walked over and picked it up. Beneath it was a pile of neatly folded clothes.
Dearest 404, or Eve, if I may,
I've neglected you for long enough. So today, as a fiance and as a friend, I invite you to spend the day with me. Ariel picked out these clothes for you for the day, so please change and come to breakfast when you are ready. I will be waiting.
Sincerely and with all of my love,
Code 200, Raven.
"Pathetic. He cannot even talk to me after last night." Eve grumbled before stripping herself of any remaining clothing and stepping into the shower tub. The hot water instantly warmed up her petite body as she basked in the steam of the shower.
Her thoughts drifted off into their own world again, this time of what was to come after taking down Code 1 and becoming number 1 themselves. Would they fight each other? Would Chung do something to help them? Would she kill him or would he to her? Where is Chloe, and why was Raven out so late anyways? All of these questions she could not answer by herself. It was best to let time take its toll on the world around her and to enjoy what she could. After all, he had something planned for the two of them today, anyways. She shrugged before turning the knob to stop the water flow.
"A black dress? I'm going to look like a little girl in this. Ugh. Why must the maids always pick out small clothes for me?" Eve sighed as Moby hovered to her with a towel and Remy did with the dress. She rubbed her hair thoroughly and left the towel to dry on the rack.
"Hmmm. Perhaps I can make this outfit more geared towards flaunting him." She giggled a bit before she pulled open a drawer of clothing. Her eyes gleamed as she put on what Raven and Ariel had left her and some extra garments to surely impress Raven.
Raven whistled as he finished the last of breakfast. He had been working since sunrise, getting only about 2 hours of sleep, but he forced himself awake for Eve, and for his comrades...his family at the laboratory. As Ariel finished setting the last plate, Raven gave her and Luriel's portions of the meal before sending her off to get the others.
"Maids are really damn useful at times like this. Well, hope everyone, especially her, likes it." He whispered to himself before settling into the chair at the head of the table and staring at all of the food he had made. Eggs, Sausage, Bacon, Salad, Toast, Crepes, Waffles, Pancakes, the list goes on. For drinks there was fresh coffee, milk, tea, or orange juice, all prepared by Raven. He sighed before a smile crept onto his face as he leaned back into his chair. His eyes began to close until he heard a set of footsteps coming down the hallway. It was none other than the Prince and his beloved Lu.
"This better be good if I had to not shower for this."
"Of course Lu-Lu. Raven is a great chef, I assure you."
"L-LuLu?!"
He heard a fatal blow strike Chung and a kiss soon after. Love is a strange concept, he thought as the two made their way into view. He immediately got up and readied himself by the door. Chung opened the door and the aroma of fresh breakfast foods and drinks hit his nose.
"Ah, good morning, Sir."
"Good morning indeed, Raven. Did Ariel or Luriel or Ciel help you with any of this?"
"Ariel and Luriel only called you all here. The rest was all me, Prince."
"Outstanding performance. Well then, shall we take a seat, Luciela?"
"Stop calling me that!"
Lu hit Chung. Or at least, tried to. Chung immediately grabbed her hand and kissed it before pulling out the chair for a flustered and dazed Lu, who managed to stumble into the seat. He gently pushed her in before coming around and taking a seat opposite of her, next to Raven.
"So. Your Code can cook as well, then?"
"Isn't it kind of oblivious of you to ask at this point? Look around you, Lu."
Chung chuckled before beginning to pour himself some tea and grabbing a plate full of food. Lu nodded silently and Chung brought her a dish of various foods. She immediately began to cut them into small pieces, being the Noblesse she was.
Raven smiled and finished his plate, getting up to put it away. He listened to more footsteps pattering down the hallway towards the kitchen. Two sets must have meant that it was Ciel and Seris coming to join them, not Eve. He turned, expecting both to be in their usual personas. However, when he had gotten a glimpse of the two, he immediately noticed the tints of pink on both of their cheeks.
"Why are you two blushing so much? Did something happen?"
"I-it's nothing, Raven…"
"Speak up Ciel. I did not take you in so you could keep secrets from me."
"S-somebody told us that t-there was not much hot water left. So we took a s-shower together."
Chung put down his tea gently and gave Lu a stern glare while she closed one eye and stuck her tongue out in retaliation.
"Ciel. There will never be a time where the facilities run low on resources. Whoever this 'someone' is, they have misinformed you."
Lu giggled before Ciel gave her a harsh look and grabbed a plate for himself and Seris while Seris poured the both of them some juice. Lu took a sip of her coffee and smirked at Chung, who was now already drawing something out in his notebook.
Must be battle plans. It's been nearly an hour, so where is she?
Raven thought to himself. His thoughts were spontaneously interrupted when Moby and Remy hovered in, grabbing a plate for their Queen and carefully placing proper portions onto each dish.
"Ah, I see Eve is familiar with the two droids' commands now. Outstanding."
Chung mumbled while Lu shoved more eggs into his mouth.
"Hush and let me feed you."
"Why are you feeding me?"
"Because it makes me feel superior."
"Are you admitting then, that you are not?"
Lu smacked his cheek immediately and before Chung could respond, she scoffed and returned to eating only her food. Raven and Ciel laughed while Seris giggled before finishing her cup of juice and began to eat her pancakes.
There she was, his fiancee, his partner, and his best friend: Code 404. She floated in elegantly in the clothes that Ariel had helped Raven pick out. The black dress was a bit short, but Eve was wearing stockings alongside a layer of shorts before what was underneath would be revealed by the wind. Her top half was held up by two flimsy straps, one of which that was wrapped around her shoulder rather than on top of it. Her hair was put down and together to make a smooth flow, with only a pin near the top to keep it so. From what Raven could tell, Eve had added the stockings and the new hairstyle as a bonus.
"Good morning Eve. You look quite refreshed today."
"Indeed. He has promised me to go out all day today."
"Ah, I suppose that explains why he was wearing such nice clothes while cooking breakfast. Come. Sit with us."
Chung motioned for her to take a seat next to Raven and across from Seris. For once, after the absence of Chloe and the death of a friend, Raven felt a bit more at ease. His family was around him. There was nothing that could ruin such a perfect moment for him.
"Code 200."
"Raven is fine, thank you."
"Raven. Thank you for the food. It was delicious and I appreciate the effort that you went through to make it. I'm sure Ciel feels the same way."
Lu looked over at Ciel, who look completely entranced in the various options. He looked up and nodded silently before lunging back at his Belgian Waffles.
Raven smiled genuinely. Eve immediately took her seat with Moby and Remy resting underneath the table with their own plate of food. She took a small bite out of the eggs and her eyes widened immensely. She then took a bite of the pancakes, then the crepes. Everything was so good. Why didn't she have Raven cook before?! This was amazing! Sadly, she knew that everyone had their limits, and Raven could not do this everyday. She slowed down a bit before regaining her composure and holding up a portion of an omelette to Raven.
"I ate already. Thank you though, Eve."
"Open your mouth."
"Eve, I'm not hungry."
"Open your mouth."
"Eve please, I already ate."
"Open your mouth."
Raven sighed and opened his mouth. Instead of receiving the eggs he was expecting, he received a small and quick kiss from 404. He felt dazed for a second before his face was met with an immediate force coming 30 degrees from his right side. Eve smiled innocently as she continued to eat. Everyone else at the table was too busy eating or talking to notice.
"Show me some respect, 200. After all, today is my day to share with you."
"R-right. Please don't hit me too often. I'm still recovering from the fight with my brother."
"No promises. Promises are a weakness."
Raven sighed. He was thankful that Eve was being her normal self, but how could someone like this still be the cute little lady that was moaning and relaxing in his bed the first couple days when she moved in? It didn't matter. He was content with what he had, nothing more. Chung and Lu soon excused themselves, rushing to go to the laboratory to continue research. Ariel and Luriel soon showed up to begin cleaning up and storing the leftovers into containers to save for other rainy days. Seris and Ciel began to make small talk with Raven, discussing topics such as the time it took and what did Raven use from Ciel or how he was going to spend the day from Seris. Eve silently chewed her food and finished without saying a word.
"It's a surprise. Besides, don't you have a boyfriend you should be more concerned with learning about?"
"H-he's not my-"
"She's not my…"
"BOYFRIEND!""GIRLFRIEND!"
"Sure. We can say that for another day. But I'm expecting to have small Elven Demons running around within the next ten years."
Both of them blushed before Seris coughed and Ciel stood up to put the dishes in the sink for Ariel and Luriel. Seris stood up as well, and the two headed off, thanking Raven one last time.
Raven nodded and stared at Eve after they left. She ate so similarly to a Princess in his eyes. He wasn't romanticizing her eating food; that would be weird, but he was too engrossed in what she was wearing. Surely there was some sort of ulterior motive for her to be wearing such clothing.
A knock on the door interrupted his fantasies of Eve. He excused himself while Eve continued to eat to go answer. His arm grasped the handle and pulled. His face was met by two. Rena and Ara.
"Hello, ladies. What brings you here?"
"You look nice today, Jed. We're here because we're looking for Elsa. Have you seen her? We were supposed to go buy flowers for her parents or something she said."
Raven's face remained monotone but on the inside he grimaced. He sighed and signaled for the two to come in and follow him. Rena and Ara looked quite confused, but proceeded without caution. Raven sat them down in the living room and had Luriel bring some water for the two, which they both graciously accepted. Raven told Luriel to close all of the doors and make sure nobody was around until he came out. She nodded and did her duty.
"What's all this about, Raven-senpai?"
"I just don't want others hearing."
"D-did something happen to Elsa?"
Rena's voice went from quizzical to extremely concerned. After all, Elsa was the third in their trio of friends.
"I'm afraid Elsa….passed away last night…." Raven said slowly with hesitation.
Silence. Silence was the only reaction in the room. Ara took a sip of her water with her hands now cross on her lap. Rena leaned farther back into the velvet couch. Her head tilted upwards and Ara suddenly began to tear up. Raven moved over to her and hugged her, stroking her gently while she released her flood of emotion onto his shoulder, ruining his shirt in the process. It didn't matter. This was expected.
"She...is dead? From...what?"
"Rena. I want you to listen closely. Closely, and stay silent until I finish please."
Rena nodded solemnly and Ara gripped Raven tighter while suppressing her own tears. Raven sighed before he cleared his throat.
"Elsa, your sister Chloe, me, Eve, and the others. We are all what are called Codes. It's why I have this beast of an arm. We fight to survive and that is our main purpose in the world. What are we fighting for? I don't know for sure, but what I do know is that Chloe hid this from you, presumably so you would not ever think about becoming monsters like us. We cause mayhem wherever we go, and Elsa...well. Her younger brother, Elsword, was also a Code. However, after I beat him and Aisha in a fight, she used her energy to conjure two resurrection stones, which led her weak and at the hands of anyone who would fight her. She confronted me and told me that only I was allowed to use her power, and took her own life in order to better ours. Choe...she's not dead. I know that. But she travels alone now, cutting all lines of communication with us."
Rena sat silent for a bit more before Ara began to rub her back. Rena immediately tackled Raven in a fit of tears and sobbed loudly as Ara finished her water and sat there timidly, trying to decipher what all of this meant. Rena's tears flooded Raven's shirt completely and he gently rubbed her back and whispered "It's okay" into her ears. The stream of water generated from Rena's eyes did not stop for another couple minutes before she finally stood up, holding back tears.
"Raven. I want to become a Code." Rena stated while wiping her eyes.
"Me too." Ara added as she stood up.
"Rena. Chloe did this so she wouldn't persuade you and-"
"I'm not taking no for an answer."
Raven got up and looked her, nodding silently. He used his visor to communicate with the Prince and Luriel, telling Luriel to open the doors and send in Chung.
Not soon after did the Prince appear, taking both of the girls' hands and leading them into the Laboratory, leaving no evidence behind. Raven sighed and ran back to his room to change into a black formal shirt with a purple tie. He made his way to the dining room, where Eve was nowhere to be found.
"Eve? Come on, it's time to g-"
Raven's words had barely left his mouth when he was suddenly tapped on the shoulder by Ferdinand. 200 spun around and looked over at Eve, who was now leaning against the doorframe, in a small petticoat and flats, clearly ready to leave. Raven chuckled a little bit before putting on his own coat and shoes, taking her hand as he led her out.
Some things in this world are worth living for. And dying for.
Setting: Velder Shopping Mall
Time: 10:00 AM
Objectives: None.
"Why must you drive so recklessly?"
"Because I don't want to waste any moment I have with you, Eve."
Eve blushed at the flattery and hid her face in the hood of her coat while Raven laughed and held her hand. They hadn't been on a date like this since the first few weeks they met. And now, it felt refreshing to hold her small hand in comparison to his massive one. Now, it felt natural.
"W-well. Where are we going?"
"Wherever you want. This is my treat dedicated to you."
Raven looked at her face while she searched for shops that were particularly interesting to her. Eve's face scrunched up when her eyes crossed the shop that read Banthus' Burritos.
"Something wrong?" Raven asked, responding to her facial claim.
"Burritos sound hideous. I'd prefer what you made for breakfast." Eve answered while continuing her search.
"Well, maybe we'll try one later and maybe you'll like it. Did you find a place yet?" Raven smiled as he noticed her eyes afixiated on one shop.
"That one." Eve began to drag Raven with his force staying in place. He slowly gave in and began to move.
The shop sign read Noel's Music Shop. Noel was a wanderer at some point, but now he seemed to enjoy gaining some money by selling musical instruments as well as his own music and entertaining customers with live performances.
The two entered the shop nonchalantly. Eve looked around for a piano and found nothing. After a sigh of defeat, she tugged on Raven's sleeve. The man was analyzing some electric guitars. Noel himself walked over to the two after his last customer had left, leaving the two and him in the store.
"Raven! So nice to see you again! Still thinking about that guitar?"
"Noel. Good to see the shop is still in business. And yes, I am."
"And who is this fine lady with you, may I ask? Haven't seen her around here before."
Eve interrupted as she finished analyzing who this man was.
"My name is Eve. Pleased to be acquainted with you, Noel."
"Pleasure's all mine, miss. What are you looking for?"
"Do you, by any chance, have a piano, preferably grand?"
"Of course I do. It's just hidden. Give me a moment to bring it up."
Noel went back behind the counter and hit a small switch underneath the tabletop. Raven turned his attention to where an empty circular pattern was. The floor opened up and a grand piano rose from where the decor had once been. Eve was astonished that even regular human beings still utilized technology for some practical methods.
"Well then, why don't you play us a song, miss?"
"It would be my pleasure."
Raven looked at Eve as she strolled towards the seat. He never knew that Eve had played an instrument. The rumbling from the piano rising had attracted nearby shoppers to wander into the store to see what the commotion was about. They marveled at the masterpiece atop the masterpiece. Many men were gazing only at Eve, but soon stopped when Raven glared at them.
"Ahem. The piece I shall play today shall be Alex James' Satie - Gymnopédie No. 1."
Raven had no idea about any real piano music except for the common knowledge such as Beethoven or Bach or Mozart. But this. This piece was so soothing and melodious to the ears. Noel was sitting with his eyes closed, quietly humming and smiling while doing so. The others who were watching Eve simply remained silent and breathless. The piece ended in a few minutes and Eve stood up and took a bow. She walked off of the pedestal and bowed to the spectators as they roared with applause. Noel lowered the piano and immediately walked over to shake Eve's hand.
"Miss, if you ever think about going big in Piano music, do remember small-town Noel, alright?"
"Will do, Noel. It was a pleasure to meet you."
Raven held Eve's hand as she escorted him out of the store, winking at the few men (and women) who were still adoring her talent and persona. They swooned as Raven was speechless.
"Where? When? H-how?"
"I've learned since I was young, relax. Where should we go next?"
Raven suggested a few stores and they were off.
Setting: Haan Oriental Seasons
Time: 1:00 PM
Objectives: Raven - Do something special.
Raven guided Eve into the traditional restaurant. Eve did not see any chairs, and she looked at 200 with a puzzled face. He chuckled a bit before he kneeled onto the floor at one of the short tables and motioned for her to do the same across from her. She obliged and sat down across from him, taking in the sweet aroma of green tea and pastries that were coming from the kitchen door. Raven stared at her and smiled.
"Hello! Welcome to the Haan Oriental-"
The waiter stopped dead in his voice and stared sternly at Raven. Raven looked back with a mixed expression.
"Are you alright?"
"You. You're the one who took my sister and put her into that game of yours."
"Do I know you?"
"The name is Ran. Older brother of Ara. You took her into that game of Codes you idiots all have going."
Raven sighed and looked at him with the Not here, please look before Ran 's facial expression went from angered to a bit disgruntled.
"We can settle that later. I'm here with my beloved."
"What can I get you two lovebirds."
Ran scoffed as he wrote down the orders of Raven and Eve. Raven went for a traditional sushi dish while Eve was practically drooling at the idea of Sukiyaki, a dish with beef and various vegetables that sounded delicious when fried. Both of them ordered green leaf herbal tea as their drinks and Ran left, mumbling as he went. Eve could not stop adoring the decor inside. It was most certainly Oriental, with the various wallpapers and accommodating paintings plastered over the restaurant. It felt like a normal house that one would find in Japan.
"What made you think of coming here, Raven?"
"Nothing in particular. I've always fancied a small, traditional cuisine of food with my dearest friend and lover."
Eve squealed a small bit before hiding her face in her coat, trying to suppress her blush. Raven smirked and chuckled a bit before Eve regained her composure and took a sip of the tea. It wasn't anything special, but it wasn't bad at all. She set the tea down and gazed into Raven's hazel eyes as he did to her. A small spark inside of her chest rose harshly, and she truly felt at peace in her life. Raven was the man that had saved her from her past. He had saved her from her parents, her possible death. He had bested her as well, something that she was not used to seeing. Raven cleared his throat, bringing her back to reality.
"Alright. The sushi for the idiot and the Sukiyaki for the lady. Enjoy!"
"Who are you calling an idiot?!"
Raven growled as Ran laughed while walking away. regardless of what had just happened, Raven looked all around his food and scanned it.
"Raven. What are you doing?"
"Scanning to check if the food's poisoned. That could suck really bad."
"Raven. Ran doesn't prepare the dishes, the chef does. Even I know this."
"Right…"
Raven took a small bite of the sushi and immediately a smile plastered his face. He seemed extremely content with his food, so Eve decided she ought to take a bite of hers. It tasted a bit like the food Oberon would make for her when she was left alone. She smiled as Raven held a small fork of sushi up to her, signaling for her to open her mouth and take the bite. She grinned and happily accepted the invitation. She held up her spoon of vegetables and mouthed "Ahhh" as Raven opened his mouth and fed him, for real this time.
"Mmm. That's very well prepared. Hat's off to the chef."
"As is yours, dear."
Raven stopped chewing for a brief second and Eve caught what she had just said. The two shared a look for a moment before Raven smiled widely.
"Thank you, darling."
Eve returned the expression and the two continued to eat their entrees. Raven suggested they go out to get Ice Cream after, and Eve eagerly nodded. He left a 3400 ED tip for a 18000 ED meal, just out of some respect. Eve grabbed his hand happily as they got up. Raven left a note for the chef, commenting on the excellence of the food.
"Hey chef! You got a compliment here!"
"Hmmm? Really?"
The lady behind the stove took the note and read it to herself, noticing the unique calligraphy of the black-haired man. Her blonde hair and slender body shook a bit as she giggled while taping up the note to the wall. A picture of her and Code 200 hung on the wall next to it.
Raven took Eve to the nearby Ice Cream place, appropriately titled Sweets of Hamel. A shop that was run by Helen, a shopkeeper known for her chains of distinct restaurants across Elrios. Raven bought a large Chocolate cone for the two to share. Eve began to lick away at the cold, refreshing flavor of frozen milk and artificial flavoring. Raven smiled as the two took a seat on a park bench.
"Raven, what are all those tents for?"
"Ah, it's Lunar New Year, so everyone celebrates. Plus, Valentine's day is soon as well."
"Oh? What are those?"
Raven stared at her as she stopped eating the ice cream to tilt her head in confusion.
"Well, Lunar New Year is just a new year for the Chinese but a lot of people celebrate it because the festivities are fun and it's enjoyable to learn about the culture of them. Valentine's day is a day you spend with your special someone, filled with sweets, flowers, and other romantic things."
"Interesting…"
Eve licked the cone clean and Raven took a bite of the cone itself. He didn't mind her eating all of it. It was a sign that she enjoyed it. Her face was a cute mess at this point and Raven pulled out his handkerchief and wiped away the melted ice cream around her lips. She pouted lightly as he pressed a bit firmly, but was appreciative of the fact that he cleaned up after her anyways.
"Raven? Where are we going next?"
"Hmmm. Good question. How about the Carnival? They have a way to blend our tradition with Lunar New Year."
"Intriguing. I agree to your suggestion."
The two spent the rest of the afternoon playing games at the booths and enjoying some of the rides. Eve was a bit more used to some of the more intense coasters, but Raven still enjoyed them thrice as much. After a few hours, Eve motioned for Raven to take a seat while gasping for breath. They had done nearly every activity possible, and at this point Eve just wanted a small break. Raven grabbed her hand and took a seat.
"Sunset again, eh? Brings back some memories…"
"Indeed it does."
Silence.
"How long can we do this?"
"Do what, Eve?"
"Stay in such peace and forget about our lives as bloodthirsty assassins, let alone the lust of killing sets one of us stray like Chloe."
"I don't know, Eve. But what I do know is that I want to enjoy my moments with you when we can."
More silence.
"Raven…"
"Yes, Eve?" He turned to face her as the sky became a hue of orange with mixtures of purple and blue. Her eyes were watery as she slowly hugged him from one side. He let this happen, gently rubbing her back.
"Why must we do such nice things together when both of us know only one of us can win?!"
"Because Eve...this is a part of a loving life. You love someone enough and when it's time to let go, you do. You learn that things will get better and that no matters what happens, you'll always push through."
Eve fell into his embrace and let her arms go limp. Raven rubbed her shoulders emphatically and picked her up as he stood up, carrying her on his shoulder.
"What about you, Raven? What's with you and this Seris lady? What happened before me?"
"...I'll tell you when we get home."
"O...kay…"
Eve's eyelids slowly closed as she drifted off to sleep. Raven put her down on the grass beside him as the dusk fell into night. Eve was awakened by the large popping of fireworks. The colors so brightly motivational that she did not want to miss any more of it. She hurried to sit up and watched in admiration of the spectacle. Raven watched her face and smiled as her eyes gleamed in every spark.
Everything is amazing until it fades away to nothing….heh.
Eve was the first to stand up and brush herself off. Raven followed soon after, the two heading back in interlocked arms. As soon as they got home, Ariel offered them some of the dinner. Raven politely declined while Eve asked her to send it to their room. Seris and Ciel were already retired for the night, and nobody else seemed in sight. Not even Rena or Ara…
"Raven...can you tell me now?"
"As promised."
The two were in bed already. Everything was packed. Empty plates were outside their door of the aforementioned dinner and clothes and bags ready for school again tomorrow. Thought Eve didn't take much since she had eidetic memory so just still images of the notes on the board were enough for her mind to recall information. Raven was without a shirt and only in shorts, and Eve was only in a shirt that Raven had given her for sleeping with nothing on below except for the necessity. Both were huddled together as Raven's breathing slowed and Eve remained silent.
"When I was not a Code, before I was taken in by Prince Chung, before Seris died, before my family died, I lived with Blade. We were always there for each other. Blade would always do the cooking, cleaning, and maid type of work. I would do all the handiwork like fixing pipes, electrical currents, etc. Our parents were almost always out and about. We were generally a happy, normal family. My strength and his intelligence made our parents very proud. One morning, a Code arrived at my Father's workplace, during a day where my Mother went with him to aid in anything he needed. The Code went down, but at the cost of 8 lives, including my parents. When Blade and I got the news, we were devastated, but so proud. Our father saved hundreds by sacrificing himself. Just a team of normal humans taking down an all-powerful humanoid of a man. Seris...didn't die for sure, but we always have believed she did. She went missing a few months later when another Code attacked her village. I haven't heard anything from the ones taken and everyone and everything else was killed or burned. I was demolished in spirit. The only thing I had left close to me was Blade. Blade was always smiling, telling me jokes, and overall trying to be the best brother he could in situations like these. However, once Blade became old enough, he went into the Army to pay for our housing and food. I was left alone for many years, until I got into a fight with a street gang. After taking 7 of them down and almost dying myself, the Prince offered me the chance for retribution. He offered to make me stronger. And that's when I joined the fight of the Codes. Before I met you, I had killed nearly 130 of them. It was after I took you in that killing wasn't the proper solution. The best thing to do was capture and purify.:
Eve did not say a word. Raven's eyes were just as monotone as they always were, but Eve knew how he felt inside. She wrapped her arms around the burly man and gave him a lasting kiss, not pulling back until Raven did first. Raven was shocked at first, but soon let himself relax and enjoy the moment.
"You will never lose me, Raven. Whether you want to or not."
"I'm glad to hear that, Eve. Let's get some rest, we have school tomorrow."
Eve nodded and snuggled up very close to Raven. Her body weight shifted into him as he wrapped his arms around his lover's back and held her tightly. The two stayed like this for the night, afraid that if they let go, they would not be able to pull themselves back.
