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Rivener turned the key in the front door, quietly entering the house as he was now used to doing. It was midnight. Riv didn't wait for this late hour so that Natsuki didn't find him, he simply waited so that Aphi would go to sleep. He still hadn't told his guardian about hsi late-night escapes, despite his promise to Natsuki... He kept putting it off, it was never the right time. He did mean to tell Aphi, it just hadn't happened yet.

The Raevan made his way through the dark house, pulling his winter coat on. The room Roux inhabited wasn't that cold anymore, but Rivener still preferred staying warm. He usually stayed in there for very long periods. He placed a gloved hand on the handle and turned, entering the dark room.

The window blinds were left open, the moonlight streaming in clear and silvery. Riv could see the stars through the glass. It was comforting. He turned to the ice cocoon. "Hey Roux, it's me. Did you miss me?" he asked, his routine question. He smiled dryly, not even sure Roux knew he was there.

Rivener floated over to the cocoon, taking the glove off and placing his hand on the ice as was his custom, a greeting of sorts. He smiled softly while the warmth leeched from his skin. "How've you been?" He didn't expect an answer, of course. Removing his hand, he placed the glove back on and leaned against the ice, sliding into a sitting position against it.

"I wish you were here. I miss you. I know I tell you every time, but it's true." He sighed. "I hope you won't mind if I just sit here with you tonight. I have nothing to say that you haven't heard already, about how Aphi is so changed, and Eiry and Isi are madly looking for Chloe... I think Aphi might be looking too, but I'm not sure. He doesn't talk to me."

The Scorpion leaned back, resting his head against the moonlit ice. "I'll just sit here with you and be quiet. You'll enjoy that, won't you." He smiled again, and closed his eyes peacefully.

Rivener blinked at the soft noise. He'd never heard that kind of sound before, not here. Here it was usually quiet, calm, almost sacrosanct. Had Natsuki changed something in the room? Rivener got up and glanced around carefully, not daring to hope that what he thought might have happened, did happen...

He turned his red eyes to Roux's cocoon. Narrowing, he peered closely at the Raevan frozen inside.

"Roux? C-can you... Can you hear me?"

Rivener's eyes sprang open. This time he'd seen it happen. The ice was breaking! Would this be the night, the one he'd been wishing for?! Throwing off his gloves, Riv pressed himself up against the cocoon, palms on the ice, disregarding the uncomfortable cold.

"Roux!" he called, his voice barely containing the joy. "Roux, Roux! I'm here! Wake up! Please!" He clawed at the ice pleadingly.

He should tell Natsuki about this, but he didn't want anyone else to share this moment. He wanted to keep it for himself and Roux. He was being selfish, he knew, and it didn't matter. Roux was finally waking up!

Rivener began to back away when he saw the ice cracking. He imagined a sudden burst of ice, and he didn't think it would be a good idea to be around. However, as the ice began to shed, he got a fleeting vision of Roux, behind it all. He looked so... lost!

Riv frowned. To hell with safety. Steeling himself, Rivener ploughed through the ice as well as he could, pulling and shoving at some chunks of clutching ice, reaching out to touch the revealing Frei. His fingers, numbing quickly despite the warming air, suddenly touched Roux's collar. "Roux!" he breathed, sounding like a revelation.

He tried to pry more ice away so that he could press himself up against the other and hug him, he wanted to hold him! The ice resisted, however, the larger chunks still holding on.

"Roux... Come on, you're almost here! Just a little more!" Riv encouraged, pleaded, as he pulled at pieces of ice, frantic in his need to touch the other.

Rivener had been forced to back away, shileding himself from the ice shards and the noise. When he looked again, he watched with awestruck eyes as Roux emerged in almost magical, legendary fashion.

And then the smile. The voice.

Rivener could have cried. He grinned, brows frowning up in fearful happiness. He was afraid to believe it.

Before he had time to doubt it anymore, Roux began to fall. Rivener, quick as a scorpionstrike, darted forward and scooped up the Raevan in his arms, lowering both himself and Roux to the ground gently. He grinned and ran a hand over the Frei's hair softly.

"Roux..."

Careful not to hurt the other, Riv laced his arms around Roux and pulled him up into a tight hug.

Roux's breath puffed out from his slightly blue lips in soft clouds of mist and his eyes fluttered open again. He'd fainted... only to regain consciousness in Rivener's arms. He looked up from where his head lay in the crook of the dark Frei's arm and smiled faintly once more, reaching out with slender long fingers to touch his cheek. He was wet and cold but for once he didn't -want- to feel cold. He wanted the warmth, company, someone to talk to him even if they said pointless stupid things.

For once in his life Roux wanted to focus on something other than himself. His fingers trembled as they ran a wet path down the curve of Rivener's cheek, not paying mind to Natsuki as she entered at first. The moment of happiness at seeing Rivener, of hearing his voice was quickly fading into darkness... memories... the very one's that he had once more shut himself away into a cocoon to get away from... were coming back.

His breathing quickened and he clutched Rivener's shirt, looking not too unlike a frightened child, shoulders hunched up, lips slightly parted. He turned his face into Rivener's chest and held onto him, beginning to shiver.