Nine

[pendantry]

[It's moving day.

It took her a while to think about it, and another while to really decide, but after more than enough talking to herself on the matter, Raven is moving out of building two and into an empty room in Leon's house. Maybe they aren't family anymore; it doesn't matter, Raven is sick of living so completely alone, with an empty floor and emptiness all above her, too.

Maybe she isn't so thrilled to have Sokka and Ikki's noisy house as close neighbors...but maybe she's also kind of glad for it. For the closeness of people she can pretend to teeter on the edge of trusting. Kyle will also be closer to Soren and she thinks that'll do her good.

She didn't think to warn Leon of any of this beyond a short message this morning, so at least the first part of her day involves a long walk carrying a few packed boxes. Kyle follows along behind, half-carrying a drawstring bag of things - it's not a very heavy bag, she's just being lackluster about it. It is a distance to house 59 and Raven keeps turning around to offer encouragement.]

You like Leon. It'll be okay. [Never mind all of her own private apprehension. As she passes through the plaza she looks at Slash 'n' Crash with a sigh, wondering if they found her note about being busy with moving and coming to work late.

Once Leon's sorted out her moving issues, though, she walks through the smithy door looking...content. Maybe smiling. Depends on who's in there.]

Comments

[markofthewise]

Oh. It's for Ikki.

[Sokka pulls out the picture and frowns at it. This is kind of... well...]

It's um. An interesting art style. Very... unique? I'm sure she'll love it.

[He doesn't have the heart to tell her that she has the art skills of a seven year old. The diary he just assumes is empty, though.]

[pendantry]

Put it back. [Sokka isn't usually like this. Raven nods to the box and tries not to sound like he's invading her privacy.] She made that for me.

[markofthewise]

[Sokka pauses and looks at the box. It's not exactly... decorative. And that diary is... ah. Sokka puts the picture back in.]

So... not a present. [He just. Subtly slides it back on top of her stack and puts his hands way. Only to quickly readjust the stack to how it was before. A smidge to the right.]

[pendantry]

[She looks somewhere off to the right.] Leon asked...if I wanted to live there. So I'm moving.

[markofthewise]

... there? [Sokka looks across the way. He does actually recall the fact Leon lives there. Now. That he's thinking about it.]

Oh. OH!

[He's gonna try and grab ALL the boxes now.]

Why didn't you say so before?

[pendantry]

[She just looks at him - did she have a chance?]

What are you doing? [He's after the boxes again, and she tries to hold on tighter.]

[markofthewise]

Helping!

[Insistently. He's trying to pry them free.]

[pendantry]

Oh. [She nods to the top box, surprised.] Then just take one, I can carry this.

[markofthewise]

[Sokka slides off the top box again and frowns. He feels ridiculous carrying so little compared to her.]

... there.

[pendantry]

Why do you look like that? ...Everyone looks like that when they try to carry these for me.

[markofthewise]

Well, you know, it doesn't feel like helping just carrying one box.

[pendantry]

I don't have very much to move. [Half of her life is spent in the smithy - more than half - and nothing needs to come from there.] You can come back to the apartment and get other things if you want.

[markofthewise]

[A shrug.] Works for me. So... I guess you and Leon are pretty close, huh?

[pendantry]

I guess. We thought we were family. [Even before the invasion, though, she had not disliked him, had felt a kind of companionship while talking to him.] I...think we're friends.

[markofthewise]

[He nods approvingly.]

Good. Me and Winry were thinking of asking him to join us full time.

[pendantry]

Really?

[Raven starts walking again, with Kyle following along behind.]

What about Asami?

[markofthewise]

Her too. And we'll hire someone new! You know. For actual weapons. So I'm not the only one. We'll have interviews.

[pendantry]

What are interviews? I don't think anybody else here knows how to make weapons.

[For a moment, she aches for Gaius's steady presence.]

It could get crowded.

[markofthewise]

You know. A way of making sure a worker at the smithy has what it takes to be part of the team. They have the skills and what it takes to interact with the team.

[Crowded he's not worried about. They'll just do shifts or something.]

[pendantry]

Did you...make me do that? [And if so, how did he accept her? Skills, sure, but interacting?]

[markofthewise]

Not... really? This interviewing thing is kind of a new process.

[pendantry]

[A shrug. He's the boss. Maybe she won't have to participate in things based in interaction.]

Where did you get the idea?

[markofthewise]

Winry. She's been promoted to co-owner.

[... as an fyi. Things Raven should know now.]

[pendantry]

Oh. I didn't know.

[But she does now. It's a little weird, but good that Sokka and Winry made up enough to be...both her bosses together.]

Then you two have to agree on new people?

[markofthewise]

[There could never be too many bosses. Especially when Sokka was one of them.]

More or less. But your input would be good, too. I mean, if there's someone you happen to hate? We won't even let them get in the door.

[He may have had his issues with Raphael, but even back then, he was that way. When Jay and Raphael formed a rivalry, Sokka wouldn't let Jay into the shop.]