Okay. I need to finish this. I'm so excited... I love this so much! X'D
Anyway, enjoy! ;)
"Do this, Nabby. Do that, Nabby. All they ever do is ask me to work; never a word of thanks. What a pain." Nabby grumbled to himself as he swept the auction platform, the dust forming thick clouds as his broom brushed it aside. "All I ever do is work, gettin' bossed around like a dumb dog. What a pain. Everything is a pain."
Suddenly, he heard a footstep on the stage. He stopped, lifting his eyes slowly.
"Whatcha complainin' about this time, Nabs?" Crow stood, one hand on his hip, one tugging carelessly at his scarf.
"Hmph," Nabby grunted, turning back to his work.
"Don't be like that." He walked to the edge of the platform, sitting down, letting his legs dangle over the edge. "What's gettin' to ya?" Patting his hand on the ground beside him, he motioned for Nabby to sit.
Tossing aside the broom, Nabby came and plopped down next to Crow. "It's nuttin'."
Crow cocked an eyebrow, a smirk playing on his lips. "You really expect me to believe that?"
Nabby sighed. "Worth a shot," he mumbled, scratching his head. "It's just my mum."
Crow's smile faded. "How's she doin'?"
"Eh," Nabby shrugged. "Holdin' up alright. Just a little sad, I guess, and then she gets mad, and then... Ya know."
"Yeah," Crow said, leaning back on his hands. "I know."
The two friends sat in silence, staring off into the distance. For whatever reason, the two of them just got along. Maybe it was their deep sadness that tied them together, maybe it was the scars of the past, and maybe it was the drive to be more-to lead others to be more. Whatever the reason, they had a special bond that neither felt with the other Ravens. It was a quiet bond, but it was there. They sat in silence as the evening grew dark above ground, the shadows that surrounded the lights deepening softly.
At last, Crow shifted, standing to his feet. "Well," he sighed, "it's gettin' late. You'd better head home."
Nabby got to his feet. "But the stage-"
"I'll finish the job," Crow smiled, bending down to pick up the broom. "You need to get home. Your mum needs you."
The boy stood, blank-faced for a moment, then broke into a grin. "You're such a pain, ya know that?" With that, he hopped of the stage and walked out of the room, leaving Crow leaning on the broom handle.
"Yeah," he smirked. "Love ya too, Nabs."
Everything was dark by the time Crow had finished his work. He stepped out into the night, the crickets chirping all around him, the moon casting a dim light on the town. The market was empty.
Crow walked along, tired, but satisfied. He had managed to squeeze in some time with all his Ravens. He had left out Tony, but only because he was busy moving in with the Greppes.
He went over the list in his head.
Badger, Marilyn, Louis, Tweeds, Scraps, Socket, Nabby, and-
He stopped, realizing what he had done.
Wren! Oh, Crow, you idiot. You forgot Wren!
Of course, he hadn't really forgotten Wren. He had meant to save her for last, but had gotten distracted by Nabby, and now it was too late.
"Gosh dangit," he cursed under his breath. He shoved his hands in his pockets and shuffled down the street, angry at himself. He wandered into Badger's Alley, as he called it, the night air cooling him as he walked. Everything was quiet.
Just as he was about to leave the alley, a sound came from up above. Crow lifted his gaze to the rooftops, listening intently. It could just be a rat or a bird, but it could also be something else, and it was his job to make sure things were alright.
The sound came again.
All of the sudden, the darkness wasn't so comforting. It was, in fact, rather intimidating. He wished he had at least brought a candle with him, but he hadn't, and he just had to face it.
The sound came again.
Something was up there. Sucking in a deep breath, Crow tiptoed up the flights of stairs, making his way to the roof of the broken-down buildings. He moved as quietly as he could, biting his lip. At last, he made it to the top, peeking over the edge of the roof.
A figure moved, and he gasped in shock.
As he looked at it, however, silhouetted by the moonlight, he realized that he had nothing to fear. He sighed in relief.
"Who's there?" a voice asked, the figure sitting up in surprise.
"No worries, Wren," Crow chuckled. "It's just me." He climbed up onto the roof, laughing at himself for being scared of Wren.
"Oh, good," she sighed, laying on her back again. "You scared me."
He would've told her that she'd scared him too, but that wouldn't exactly fit his reputation very well. Instead, he walked over to where she lay, and sat down beside her. "What're ya doin' way up here?"
"Nothin'. Just lookin' up at the stars." She pointed upwards, and he tilted his head back to see.
The stars glittered brightly against the dark canvas. It was a clear night, and the clouds were not there to hide the masterpiece that hung proudly in the sky. It was an incredible sight.
"Hey," Crow smiled. "That's neat." He leaned back further, folding his hands beneath his head. Eventually, he lay down beside Wren, looking up at the beautiful picture. His elbow brushed against hers, and he felt a tingle go through his body.
"Yeah. It's pretty, ain't it?"
"Yeah." He turned his head to the side, looking at Wren. Only she would sit around on a roof at night, just to look at the stars. The moonlight gently illuminated her face, sparkling in her eyes. "Real pretty."
She turned to face him, and their noses touched. Crow's heart flipped inside his chest. He hadn't realized that he'd been so close, but, for whatever reason, he didn't move. Neither did Wren. They sat there for a moment, the stars shining on their faces.
At last Wren pulled away, clearing her throat. "Well," she started, standing, "I gotta get back to Socket. He'll get mad if he wakes up and I'm gone."
Crow wanted desperately to walk her home, but he knew what Wren, Socket, and their mom would all think of that. He'd never hear the end of it, and so he stayed.
She began to leave, but turned as she reached the edge of the roof. "Night, Crow."
"Night, Wren."
He barely caught a glimpse of her smile as she climbed down, disappearing into the night. Crow was left alone on the roof, the stars shining above him, an odd feeling spinning in his stomach. The cool air wrapped itself around him, and he stretched out his legs, a smile spreading across his lips.
"Maybe this wasn't such a bad idea after all," he whispered to himself. With that, he closed his eyes and fell asleep.
. . . I don't know how to follow this up. I just... I really love Wren and Crow.
Anyway, thanks for reading. Please tell me what you think! ;)
God bless!
-LittleBrotherSocket