Welcome to Gaia! ::

Funny how coincidences worked, for it was that same morning that Isi decided to enter the painting room as well, his intention to find his ruined "angel in stones" painting that he had been working on when the incident happened. The crippled boy was determined to finish it. Though, he fixated it to his mind, now, that he'll paint in his own room or outside or something for now on. Ever since Aphismet invited him to go paint with them, he had felt like he was an intruder. It felt wrong in the beginning.

Entering the room, Isi had no idea that he was going to run into Rivener again in this place. For a split moment he had paused, stricken in his steps at the sight of the raevan that had caused him so much pain, but then, Isi realized...Rivener was still Rivener. And he was still himself, Isi. So the boy swallowed a lump of hard saliva and he hobbled across the room, passing by Rivener, to gather his canvus that still remained on the floor.

"Hello, Rivener," he said, hoping to strike a conversation that didn't end up like the last one. His only saving grace this time was that Aphismet was home, "Enjoying the morning sun?" He slightly raised his thick brows at the scorpion raevan, letting the ghost of a smile flutter across his features as he stooped down low to retrieve his painting.

Isi sucked his mouth into a frown and glanced in his direction. Ever since the incident it had been like this, informal, quiet, and forced. They had tried being nice, understanding and whatnot, but it didn't have the desired effect on the scorpion raevan. In fact, it was beginning to rub edges on Isi and he couldn't help but purse his lips into a tight frown. Rivener could either accept the treatment he was being given for almost KILLING him, or he could be given a harsher one.

"Mmph?" echoed Isi in a mocking manner. Frustration had begun boiling in his chest and he stood up, leaving his painting on the floor where it rest. Isi made a helpless gesture with his free arm and he scowled, "Mmph? Is that all you have to say? Mmph? Is that going to be your answer to everything I ask you now? Mmph?"

Isi knew that he was beginning to edge over the line, but he didn't care. In truth, Isi missed how it used to be, although that entire time Rivener had hated him and wanted him dead. He honestly hated[ change. Now that Rivener was quiet and moody, Isi didn't like it at all.

"Come on, now, Rivener, you can give me a more decent answer than that," the younger Delaran frowned.

Oh, yes, Isi would run out of patience very quick now, but that didn't mean that he was going to simply walk out. No, no, it meant something else much different, something else that Rivener had been witness to before, something that he had been subject to before, something that he had participated in before. The knuckles on Isi's hand suddenly grew white as they clutched tightly around his single crutch and he growled, "Thanks for the answer." Even in this situation he would keep a steady hold on his manners.

"...Rivener," Isi started, taking a shaky breath. Now he was feeling the faint tingle of fear. This raevan did, after all, did try and kill him and he had to admit that he was afraid. This was even the same room in which it happened and there was still the tell tale mark on the ground where Isi had thrown the paint onto Rivener for self-defense. Unknown to everyone else, Isi could still see the part of the window that he had been pressed against, and it still had some smudge marks from the sweat in his hair and neck. If Isi hadn't had his crutch by now, who knows, he could be on the floor right now. "What is it with you? Why can't you talk anymore, huh? Not only to me, but to everyone? Why haven't you just gotten over it already?"

"We're going to HAVE to get OVER it, if WE'RE to live like a FAMILY," Isikoro shouted at the top of his lungs. The phrase came out as if it were an explosion and Isi even had to replace his crutch underneath him so that he didn't falter. He narrowed his grey eyes at Rivener, his breath rattling in his throat as he sucked in more air to say more things. "What you did to me was terrible, Rivener. What you thought and said and did brings me to so much terror that I cannot go to sleep at night without having a nightmare. You make me feel like an IDIOT for going around all this time acting like nothing was wrong and that entire time you wanted me dead. You have no IDEA...How TERRIFIED I am!" By this time, the younger Delaran was shaking, but there was something else other than fear written across his features. It was hard to see at first, but after a little studying, Rivener could see that there was regret and something similar to sorrow.

"I mean..." For a moment, Isi looked like he was at a loss for words, and he gestured his arm weakly in the air, "Good god, Rivener. Something terrible happened. But I'm willing to get over it and start again. So what will it take to get you willing to get over it and start again, huh? Do you want me to yell at you until my voice gets hoarse? Do you want me to back hand you across the face? Do you want me to tell you all the things you did to me so you can learn from your mistakes? What? What is it that YOU want in return for what you did to me and this family? You want punishment? I can give it, even if you're not my raevan, I can dole it out. What do you WANT?" Isi growled at him, his body flinching at the sight of Rivener's curled fists.

Isi kept his face as hard and stern as possible when Rivener took his turn to speak. He knew that Rivener had a point, it was true that it would be hard to pretend like nothing happened, especially when it would never do anything to help get rid of Isi's nightmares. What gave Isi hope, though, was that rivener knew what he had done wrong and that he was ashamed. If Rivener knew that, then it would only take one more step to get to getting over it. In fact, Isi almost let his face fall into a pitying frown when Rivener turned to him with tearing eyes, but he held strong. Instead, Isi simply set his face sternly and took a few haltering steps forward to Rivener.

Then, with the pull of his right arm, Isi punched Rivener as hard as he could in the shoulder.

"Now we're even," Isi stated sternly, keeping his grey eyes locked on the scoprion. The mere action of doing that to Rivener shocked even Isi and he was scared for a brief moment about the scorpion frei's reaction. He didn't want to get poisoned again, but somehow, he knew that he wouldn't have to worry. With the sleeve of one arm, Isi wiped at his cheek and continued, "So, I know what you want now, but it doesn't agree with what I want. I want you to get over it, so we can start over. Got it? You are a part of this family whether you like it or not... And I want you to stay."

Even Isi was a little surprised with how far he had sent the poor raevan, he had forgotten to pull his punch so that it didn't send him that far...Oops. Well, it was too late now. The damage had been done. So, when Rivener floated back, Isi's heart made a little hiccup in his chest. For a quick moment, he was expecting the raevan to lash out at him again, but it didn't happen like that. Rivener simply reached up to touch Isi's shoulder where he had been stung. Even though the brief touch didn't hurt, Isi couldn't help but flinch from the gesture.

Then something unexpected happened...Rivener...began crying?

Finally, Isi let his face relax and he furrowed his brows at the raevan. "Hey, hey..." he said, his voice softer than before, "What's this? What's all this, huh? What is this...?" And for a brief moment Isi forced himself to stand alone on his legs as he held up his hands to wipe away Rivener's tears with a knuckle, "Hey...I know you're sorry. I'm sorry too. But you know what? "Sorry" isn't going to fix anything. Do you know what will?" Isi gave a pause but he didn't wait for a response, "A good scary movie and some hot apple cider might. What do you say?" His legs shook a little, but Isi remained standing strong. He gave Rivener a smile, the signature "everything's fine" smile that graced Isi's face even when things were down.

Isikoro watched Rivener for a while, hoping that he had chosen the right words out of thin air that would breach the unstable shell Rivener had build around himself. Luckily for the crippled boy, which was surprising considering all the ill luck he had as of late, Rivener struggled to put on a sad smile. Before he knew it, Isi found himself smiling back, an honest true smile, as he let his hands fall from wiping the tears on Rivener's face. With an exhale of relief, Isi watched the scorpion frei for a moment longer and then he was suddenly surprised as Rivener opened up his arms.

A hug?

Now that Isi thought back on it, he had never ever given the frei a hug before. It was surprising to Isi, considering how touchy his family was, but...Never had he hugged Rivener.

"Don't have nightmares anymore, okay? I'd never ever ever ever do anything like that again. I promise, I really mean it. I'm sorry I ever-...I'm-..."

At these words, the younger Delaran felt a wave of emotion wash over him. Finally, perhaps things would be okay between them...Between he and Rivener. Between Rivener and he. A bigger smile replaced the one before and Isi carefully walked forward to meet Rivener with an embrace of his own. He was mindful of the frei's wings, but he realized that...

...They were going to be alright.

"I promise, I'll try, Rivener. No more nightmares. I'll just have to make another dreamcatcher. After the movie would you like to help me? I could teach you, you know." then Isi pulled away for a moment to look Rivener in the eye, "I'll trust that you keep to your word. And I'll keep to mine." His mouth twitched into another smile, making his freckles bunch up on his cheeks and he raised his thick brows, "Now, come on, what movie do you want to watch? I'll make the popcorn."