She began to think about her relationship with Volt. Yes, as a child he'd been a night in shining armor. The only one who would pay attention to her. And yes, she had felt something for him... She still did, that's why she'd traced him. She had been so much younger than him though, now she wasn't. She blamed him for that, she always would. But there wasn't that much hatred left in her.
Tatyana looked in the fridge and the freezer. She'd have to do something about the junk in there. She'd do that later, however. Now she had to unpack. There was one problem however, in Volt's apartment, there was only one bedroom. Had he considered that? She decided to unpack anyway, and grabbed her suitcase that she'd left by his bedroom door. Tatyana unpacked her clothes into Volt's wardrobe, which was almost empty, save a few pairs of trousers, a suit and some t-shirts.
After that was done she carried on making finishing touches to the apartment (adding her own special woman's touch to the place), before searching for an extra blanket. She'd sleep on the sofa, Volt would have been at work all night, so he could take the bed.
She took one look at the apartment and declared it her home inside her head. Then she locked the door and headed down to Fate.
Outside Fate it was Sion's shift, he was holding Dominique's shoulders. Tatyana could only guess that they were a couple. She felt so sorry for Kaldea, who had waited for Sion like she had waited for Volt.
"Raven, isn't it?" He asked. Tatyana nodded and held out her hand. Sion took it in a bouncer like way, not the normal handshake. She held her hand out to Dominique, who ignored it.
"Fine, hide behind him for all I care, Dominique," Tatyana told her. "You think I really care? Dauragon and the rest may have spent more time with you, loved you more than me, but that doesn't make me anymore worthy than you. Remember that Dominique, I have suffered so you could live," Tatyana looked into the blonde girl's eyes, and knew behind that pretty face was simply a robot. How human was she?
"After you left, your brother gave up life. He simply couldn't go on. He turned to Kaldea, I know... When I was recaptured I refused to tell him where you were, but they extracted it from my mind. So you see, Dominique, you have relied on me without knowing. So for the sake of your damned honor grow up," Tatyana spat and pushed open the door.
Inside she immediately headed upstairs, instinctively she knew that Volt would get away from the crowd. She saw Volt with Kou, yet another character from her past. She waved her greeting to Kou, who raised his eyebrows, then she crept up behind Volt.
She raised her finger to her lips as a warning to Kou to keep quiet, then put her hands over Volt's eyes. She saw him tense and recognized the movements, which meant she should move quickly. She concentrated on her bird form and was on Volt's shoulder by the time he had swung around to hit her.
He looked to his shoulder and smiled, a genuine smile. It made Tatyana's heart melt. Kou however was grinning ear to ear.
"Well well well, the infamous Raven and the famous Volt," He chuckled. Volt scowled and Tatyana glided off his shoulder and began pecking at Kou. She found it was quite fun, as he couldn't hit her back, he knew he'd hurt her. She eventually turned back into her normal shape.
Kou rubbed his pecked arms, and looked at her as though she were pure evil. She smiled at him.
"Aw Kou, when will you learn? You're mouth's faster than your feet, honey," She said patronizingly. Kou laughed and fake punched her arm. Tatyana straddled a chair and faced Volt.
"So, have you asked?" She, well, asked. Volt's mouth twitched and an emotion flickered across it.
"Yeah, Dominique was sacked, you've got her job and her shifts. You're on tomorrow," He said. Kou laughed again and Volt stood up, his massive frame towering over Kou's.
"You two are so a couple!" He seemed to be splitting his sides laughing. Tatyana saw Volt's entire body tense, what was he going to say? He let out a deep breath and in a low calm voice replied.
"She's only fifteen Kou, you remember that," Kou stopped laughing as soon as he'd said it. "I'm merely being a father that was never there for her." Tatyana felt numb. A father? She had one of those. Or did have. She didn't want a father, she wanted a lover.
"I don't want a father Volt. I want a friend," She said, changing the wording of her thought. "I had a father, and look where that got me. If you're trying to play daddy, it doesn't work with me. I've been through more harm than you'll ever get a chance to protect me from." Tears sprang into her eyes, she was doing a fair bit of crying now. It was all Volt's fault.
"I'm a woman now, I can't be a little girl, so don't treat me like one. Do you think I survived months on the streets, running from muggers, murderers and rapists, by being a fifteen year old girl? No, I was a woman then. So why aren't I one now? Because I have someone like you to protect me. Thanks but no thanks. I'd rather die than rely on you again Volt," She said, knowing that she had already relied on him to get her a job, to put her in an apartment.
"Whoa," Kou breathed as tears spilled down her cheeks. He put his arm around her, Volt stood there staring at her as though he was only just seeing her. Then he noticed she was looking and his look changed to that of boredom.
"You know Volt, when you're not acting tough, you can be a nice guy. Shame that you left that part of you with my father when he died. Shame that you're feelings died with Mikado!" She turned and jumped over the balcony, onto the floor and ran out. She startled Sion and Dominique outside.
"Wait!" Kou shouted, running after her. She stopped. Kou caught up with her.
"S-Sorry. I forgot..." He whispered. Sion and Dominique were walking over as well.
"Forgot what? That I was fifteen? Well I'm not anymore, in mind or body! They have made me older, aging my thought processes as well! Why can't he take me seriously? He never did! Not when he worked for my father, not then I asked him about Echidna, about what he wanted to do next, how I wanted to learn to fight! He just always thought he was better than me!" Tatyana erupted. Kou just let her get it all out.
"I thought finding him again would help me feel myself again... It's just made things worse... Do you know that I-" She stopped and gathered herself. Kou waited for her to say something more, but she wasn't going to.
"I'm going home... To pack my things," She made it clear, she wasn't going to stay in Volt's house because he pitied her.
"You're father was the COE of Mikado, wasn't he?" Kou asked. Tatyana nodded, and Dominique laughed.
"Yeah, she was the daughter he never wanted. She was even put in second best compared to a dead daughter!" She said cruelly. Tatyana looked to Dominique, who clung to Sion's arm. She was looking for an argument. Tatyana could tell, she was trying to get her to spill facts about herself. She wasn't going to for the bitch.
"I was the one person at Mikado who wasn't in on the monstrosities against humanity. I was the one who died, not you. Who do I have Dominique? Volt? No, not anymore. Dauragon? Well, he's dead, but I forgot, that doesn't matter does it?" Tatyana taunted.
"Have your shift and shove it up yo-" She felt a hand rest on her shoulder. It was Kou. He steered her away, stopping the argument progressing into a proper fight.
"Take me to your apartment. I think you need to talk and calm down before you make any decisions," He said. Tatyana realized the sense in his words and nodded. She led him up the side streets and up to Volt's apartment. Kou grinned evilly.
"I know, it's evil of me to even be thinking this. But he really liked you didn't he?" Kou asked. Tatyana didn't reply in any way. She opened the door and let Kou in.
Kou looked around. He saw how the female things in the apartment somehow fitted in. How well Raven fitted in with the decor. As she began to gather her things he saw her expression change, from one of anger to one of sadness. Eventually she went into the bedroom. After a while he heard the sound of crying.
He walked into the bedroom to see her sitting on the bed, crying steadily into her hand. Kou wasn't a mastermind but he'd sensed things. Little things that he'd picked up whilst on the look out for girls. He'd seen the way Volt's body language had changed when she was around. The way she looked at him when she thought no one was looking.
"C'mon, talk to him about it. Volt's a good listener," Kou pulled her into a hug. She let herself be held until she stopped crying.
"You know, I have never told any one this..." Raven began. Kou stopped her and chuckled.
"You love Volt," Kou said. Raven stared at him. She began to smile however.
"That obvious huh?" She asked. He shook his head and removed his arm from around her shoulder.
"I've known Volt ever since he started drinking here. Then he became a bouncer with me. You could say I know him better than anyone. But you know him. You know Volt Krueger, man. I just know the bouncer that goes by the same name. When you were around today, I noticed a change in him, you know? Give him time," He told her. She nodded. The door slammed.
"Now how about putting some of this stuff back then?" Kou asked. Raven nodded again and began to unpack. Kou walked out of the bedroom and came face to face with Volt.
"You're an asshole, you know?" Kou said. Volt shut the door and turned to him.
"Is she still moving out?" He asked. Kou shook his head.
"I stopped her. You shouldn't treat her like you do Volt, she's not like Dominique. Give her half a chance and she'll teach you," Kou slapped Volt's shoulder and left.
"You're staying?" Volt asked. She smiled, though it seemed forced.
"For a while," Tatyana replied. Inwardly, Volt breathed a sigh of relief. He didn't know why she meant so much to him.
