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 Posted: Fri Dec 30, 2011 10:06 pm
Who: Anastacia, Ethiriel, Leo, and Zeke
When: December 31st; mid-afternoon
Where: Lab 305
Weather: Wintery! Sunny, no breeze in the air; but there's snow on the ground and it is COLD!
Christmas had passed, but the Lab was still in full holiday swing. Lights had been hung up both inside and outside of the large white building, wreaths hung from the front doors, mistletoe had been hung jokingly over the desk in every staff member-occupied office, and no matter where a person looked, something festive seemed to dot the scene. All the staff members had lent a hand in decorating their workplace and Zeke was all too delighted by the result. With some gentle pleading and puppy dog eyes he had even secured that the festive decor stayed up until after New Years. No human hands would touch it, but that didn't mean the decor didn't want to come down itself.
The vet, decked out in a cozy - if not oddly normal - blue turtleneck and black jeans, was dealing with such a problem now. Some lights that he had helped hang around the tops of the lobby walls had slipped their tape and were sagging low. To the mohawked man that just wouldn't do, and so he was precariously perched on a footstool with a roll of clear tape in one hand, the string of lights in the other, and a belly full of determination to get this done before the new guardian arrived to pick up his newborn Raevan. It wouldn't take long at all, but he didn't want to be caught in the middle of this task or with the lights in shambles!
While Zeke busied himself with the struggle of taping wires of lit, colorful bulbs up, another was keeping herself busy as well. Despite having the freedom to stay at home (and thus avoid the monotony of the Lab and its days as well as her Guardian), Anastacia was present and not because she didn't want to be. She had chosen to come with Zeke today, but only because she had needed the sort of nourishment heat alone could not provide. The pangs of hunger for sickness had come a-calling and the Frei had no choice but to answer them. As a testament to this, a simple potted plant stood before her with a few leaves scattered on the table. The plant looked healthy enough, but the leaves that had been plucked showed otherwise with a mosaic-like pattern and some slight curling, as well as precise and simple slits in their major veins. Now that she had fed, however, the Frei was keeping herself entertained in the best way she knew how; simple craft work. Christmas had been wonderful for her and among other things she had been gifted with needles, thread, cloth, and two embroidery hoops.
Ever since the bottle drop off to Axel Halkias, Anastacia had become smitten with dresses. Gowns, more like, but proper names aside, it had not been lost on Zeke. Always one to back someone with a hobby or interest, the vet had made sure to provide his Frei with the basic things she would need to fuel that new found interest. Knitting was not forgotten by the spider queen (and in fact was still stashed in her craft bag which sat next to her on the couch), but dresses and sewing were most definitely in right now. Her gifts had been perfect and the Virus was now putting some of them to good use by practicing the stitches she had discovered and would eventually need to use. She was finding the use of one small needle a bit tricky, but despite that she was undeterred. It was different, but it felt as natural as knitting to her and thus she was in a content lull whilst practicing the chain stitch.
While Anastacia worked, Zeke managed to press a short section of tape to the lights and the wall before the remainder of the former slipped from his grasp and fell back down with the clatter of multiple bulbs.
"Oh shi...ntilly lace."
"Chantilly." Anya was in a lull but not entirely lost to the world. Along with the tools she worked with and the bounty of things at home, the trove of gifts she had received had included a lovely hardcover book on different fabrics, techniques, names for things, and other dressmaking enthusiast need-to-knows.
"Right...Right." Zeke chuckled and looked over his shoulder at his ward. "How's it going?"
"Wonderfully." It was the truth, and although she constantly held onto a displeasure toward her man, she couldn't have sounded prouder about her progress.
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Posted: Mon Jan 02, 2012 6:32 pm
The call had been placed merely days before, yet Leo still felt the most excited he had been in quite a while. All the preparations had been made; the futon had been pulled out and the main bedroom had been cleaned. For now, since the second bedroom was being used as a darkroom for his projects, he would be sleeping on the futon. He wasn’t completely sure what to expect, but the man who made the call sounded friendly enough.
Getting there would be quite easy since the Lab was located right there in Gambino. His car had also been cleaned, both inside and out, in order to make his new companion comfortable. Leo wasn’t sure what kind of environment the Raeven would prefer, but considering she was coming from a sterile environment, it would be best for her to be in the cleanest place possible.
Leo looked his apartment over again, making sure that there wasn’t a single spot missed, before heading back out toward his car. He wasn’t expected for another thirty minutes or so, but just like any other occasion, it was best to make a good impression, especially since he was to be taking care of an entirely new being.
It had been such a long time since he lived with anyone else…
Idling in his car for a moment, Leo’s hands on the wheel and his eyes locked onto the pine tree freshener dangling from his rear-view mirror. Along with his excitement came nervousness. The last woman he had lived with was his mother since he was five, and he was to be taking care of this one. There was no telling how she would take to him or his – their apartment, but from there he supposed things would have to be adjusted. Exhaling, Leo opened his eyes and turned the key, starting the car.
As expected, the drive was rather short and he had made it with plenty of time to spare, but appearances meant everything and showing up early was always well received. Strange thing about the Lab, from the outside it almost looked like any ordinary house… well, mansion. It was rather large. Leo gawked for a moment before pulling his car to the curb and parking. He leaned against the side for a moment, taking in the Lab’s strange appearance. It most certainly stood out compared to other houses he’d seen.
Passing the front garden, Leo stopped in front of the large double doors. He knocked, unsure of what exactly the ‘normal’ protocol for a pick-up would be. He allowed a moment before opening one door, peeking in. ”Good afternoon, this is Lab 305, correct?” he asked, his expression dulling slightly – until he saw the man standing on the chair. His entire appearance came as a shock in such an environment. ”You must be Zeke?”
Leo made note of the woman sitting at the squared group of couches; another with interestingly colored hair. Other than that, he noticed very little else about her as her back was to him, and at the moment he was a little too preoccupied to notice how… unnatural she was.
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Posted: Mon Jan 02, 2012 7:30 pm
"Glad to hear it." The tone his ward had used to reply to him made the raver chuckle again. Though normally ornery, being well fed and full assured Anastacia was in a decent mood for a period of time. Add in the fact she was pleased with her gifts and present handiwork and he was surprised the femme wasn't glowing. Still, hearing her happy made him happy and that's all he could really ask for. With no other word, Zeke turned around and regained the fallen lights, taping a section up before a knock on the Lab's front doors was heard.
"Hm?" It was a soft noise of polite puzzlement that faded when Zeke turned around in time to see the door open. When the blonde haired man entered the building, the vet's eyes lit up and a welcoming smile crossed his pierced face. A visitor! Perhaps the intended one at that! Quickly he stepped off his stool, setting the lights and his tape down before wasting no time at all in briskly walking (truly bounding) over to greet the guest. When the other spoke his name, the vet knew right then that it was the Lab's newest addition that had arrived.
"It is, and I am! Welcome! You must be Leonard." Once he got close enough, Zeke came to a stop and extended his right hand for a firm shake. In the few short feet it took to walk over from the wall to the spot before the front doors, Zeke's smile had grown immensely. He beamed heartily at the blonde man, taking him in before the jitters of excitement of what was to come would prevent him from doing more than bounce around and push forms across his desk. When it came to presenting a new Lab family member with their bottle and vial - or their newborn Raevan, as the case was now - Zeke was always on fire and gung ho. New people to meet, greet, and learn about and - as with now - a new Raevan to see and introduce to that new person! He did so love that part of his weekend job!
"It's nice to finally meet you. Come on in! We've got a few things to take care of before you can meet your lovely lady." Those things, of course, included the proper introductions to a certain currently-pleased spider queen.
Speaking of the queen, she was not completely disinclined to be presented with another. She was busy and still didn't liked to be disturbed but curiosity, her vanity, and a well fed feeling would make sure she didn't turn sour when Zeke did the introductions. Certainly neither man could linger too long in her presence for whatever reason, but they could stand before her a minute or two longer than normal without worry of a dirty look or unpleasant huff.
Given this and the fact her curiosity was always present, Anastacia did turn her attention from her work to the door when the knock and the opening of the door occurred. She did sink low in her chair when the chill from outside swept over her, but once it passed she was alert and looking again. Distance was still a restriction on her eyes, but the spider femme was still able to see colors well enough that she could see the blonde of the man's hair and the tan of his skin. His eyes were unable to be clearly seen, but his glasses were easy enough to spot as black on brown. Clothes, shoes, even a silver-colored watch on his wrist were all spotted and though she was limited at the moment, she deemed him at least presentable. A point in his favor, but just one. If he were to get more, he'd have to earn them just like everyone else. Not even food would have Anastacia suddenly favoring anyone - new face or old - at the drop of a hat. Neither would it have her getting out of her seat. Leo and her man would have to come to her instead.
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Posted: Wed Jan 04, 2012 12:03 pm
As Zeke spoke, Leo was absolutely certain that he had been the one who called. The way he bounded across the room was quite humorous, but paired with the excitement in his voice he seemed even more so out of place in the building. The man nodded, taking the extended hand in his own and offered a firm shake. ”I am indeed, but you can call me ‘Leo.’” he said, releasing his hand and shoving it back into his pocket.
”The pleasure is mine,” he stated, following about two feet behind Zeke as the cut across the room. The woman’s sudden movement from behind the couch finally caught Leo’s attention, but her appearance made him stop in place. The fact that she was a Raeven didn’t surprise him in the least, but wow… Still, his expression remained almost bored as he looked her over, but his arm instinctively reached for the camera that was usually at his side. Glancing down, Leo mentally cursed himself. Of all days to accidentally leave his camera at home; he must have left it in all the excitement. ”Who is this lovely woman? Is she your Raeven?”
Without waiting for Zeke, Leo slowly walked toward the middle of the couches to get a better look. He was a bit shocked at how… gifted she was, but he found himself distracted by her hair and her face more than anything. Her wings were also pretty interesting, and her ribbon almost looked as if it hadn’t moved in years – cobwebs nearly covered the entire thing to match her wings. ”What’s your name?” His own introduction had already happened, yet it completely skipped his mind that it was polite to properly introduce himself to a woman, though he had remembered well enough to extend his hand. Leo slowly circled the couch, his photographer’s eye taking over. Even still, his hand idly itched for the empty space where his camera usually hung from.
Leo’s eye shifted from the spider to her human, who had already followed suit toward the stunning Frei. It was obvious that the man, who Leo thought was around his own age, was a partier, and Leo wondered if he had just come from a rave or if he were planning on going to one once the meeting was finished. His purple and green hair certainly stood out in the pristine environment and the contrast was killing Leo. Why did he have to forget his camera?
Nodding once more in greeting to the only current Raeven in the room, Leo walked around toward Zeke. He was ready for ‘the other things’ necessary, and wanted to get business out of the way so that he could have the chance to sit and talk to them more. It was rare you found such an interesting set of people. ”What do I need to do?” he enquired, taking his seat at the front of the desk. He had already pulled out his own pen, one of the few things he had actually remembered to bring. Leo still couldn’t get over the fact he had left his camera.
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Posted: Wed Jan 04, 2012 12:45 pm
"Leo," the vet said after being corrected, "I'll remember that." Being a man who preferred his nickname to his full first name, Zeke always made it a point to remember when told the same by another. 'Leo' wouldn't be hard to remember either, and so Leo the blonde would be.
With the new guardian now here and things being set into motion, Zeke was ready and willing to lead Leo across the lobby to the desk. Turning on his heel, he began to do just that, and with the idea of introducing Anya to the new man in mind when they reached that point. However, the blonde seemed to be a step or two ahead.
"She is indeed." A proud, fatherly sort of smile took hold of Zeke's features when he gave his reply. He turned around again to extend his hand and begin the introductions, but upon turning, found that Leo had already gone on ahead of him. Zeke's smile lost the proud touches, but still remained. It wasn't every day a person so boldly walked up to the Widow and while he was cautious of how she would take such brashness, he was curious as to how it would play out.
As the men had walked from the door, Anastacia had kept a close eye on both. Zeke had introduced himself, the other man - now known as Leo - had done the same back, blah blah blah. Boring. She had almost gone back to her work until words she did so love to hear graced her ears. Anastacia made to rise to show just how lovely she was, but before she could, Leo was there before her. His sudden appearance earned him a look that started surprised and then moved on to suspicious before returning to her neutral face. Now that she could see him, he did look as presentable as she had figured, and the way he was gawking was not unwelcome.
”What’s your name?”
"Anastacia."
Sitting up properly to accent all of her features, the Frei let her name roll off her tongue in the way that she always liked to hear it in. She waited patiently for a return of name - out of knowing it was proper than out of interest or desire to hear it again - but in doing so watched the new face as much as he watched her. Ever assessing, she found it odd how his hands were constantly dipping to his side as though something was there, but that was secondary compared to how he was looking at her. She raised her chin, acknowledging that she was gorgeous, that she knew it, and that this tan-skinned stranger could continue looking and feeding her vanity. The circling he was doing was odd, certainly, but the Frei took it as him trying to get a view of her from all angles. Given her present mood, she was - for once - happy to oblige someone.
Dropping her work to the side, the Frei floated upward. Once erect in the air, she gave her over-sized pinions a stretch, pulling the silken webbing lining them to their max. She did the same with her crown and, much like she had done with Duncan, showed off how she could control each leg independently by moving each back down in turn. By that time, sadly for her, it seemed Leo was done and with a nod, had moved back toward her man. This was unheard of. Odd. And because of that she turned and followed the blonde with her eyes, a look of confusion cropping up. He had come by, seen, and then suddenly...left her presence? That didn't make sense! Usually Zeke had to pry people away from her so they wouldn't forget to blink!
The sheer insanity of that alone actually made the Virus Raevan float out from the front of the couch to hover near the two men. She wasn't mad, but she was thrown through a loop. "Cowed" as Zeke would have called it. To be looked at and then moved away from with no fanfare or look from herself telling them to move on? Unbelievable! Why was this?
When Anastacia had given her name, Zeke had been surprised. Both of his brows had been raised, and with those lofted he had watched Leo circle his ward and look at her the way all people usually did. The circling also struck him as odd, but he didn't feel any negativity toward it nor attempted to stop it. Anastacia had been sitting after all.
Now that Leo had come back - and like Anya this struck him as rather surprising given how brief his look was - Zeke relaxed his brows down again and brought his smile back in full.
"Well first you'll need to fill out some paperwork, but I think that'll come after Anya figures out why you took off."
The vet nodded his head to the Frei that hovered just behind Leo. Anastacia, focused but not deaf, immediately straightened again as Zeke called her out and attempted to look disinterested. She went so far as to cross her arms and turn her head away, but Zeke knew why she had come over and it made him chuckle. If Leo's quick move back to him went so far as to surprise him, then there was no reason why Anastacia wouldn't want to find out why they had happened. Her ego demanded it.
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Posted: Wed Jan 04, 2012 6:39 pm
Leo wasn’t able to help but smile as the Frei preened for him, she was a special kind of beauty and he could tell that her ego was being well-fed. When he turned from her to get business done, her change in attitude as she followed in confusion was rather adorable for lack of a better word. Not knowing her, though, he hadn’t the slightest that this was odd. It wasn’t until Zeke himself mentioned something about it that the blond felt bad.
He turned around, standing up to face the spider completely before apologizing. ”I didn’t mean to confuse or upset,” he laughed, ”it’s just that I’m a photographer and I’ve left my camera. You two are stunning, to say the least.” He scratched his head and turned back to Zeke, his eyebrows lifted in humor. ”It’s driving me nuts that I can’t have you two as models.” Her change in posture as soon as he turned was charming, once again unable to help but smile. She’d almost be cute if it weren’t for her naturally threatening appearance.
Once again Leo sat down, but remained facing the spider. ”Sorry for the confusion, Anastacia.”
Once all had been said and done, Leo faced the desk with his pen at the ready. He wanted the business part of this get-together to be finished so that the ‘fun’ could begin. Waiting for Zeke to make his way to his spot on the other side of the desk, Leo tapped his pen against his leg and glanced back toward Anya. ”So how long have you had Miss Anastacia? Taking care of a Raeven is almost like taking care of a human, right?” he asked before turning back around. Every time he’d catch a glimpse of the raver, he would mentally curse himself. ”From what I hear, their food source is a bit trickier but otherwise it’s almost the same?”
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Posted: Wed Jan 04, 2012 7:42 pm
When Leo turned around, the Frei dropped her act of disinterest. Her arms remained crossed over her bust, but the Frei's multi-eyed head turned back and she settled all six on the tan-skinned man. The confused look did not make a return as Leo started to speak, but there were hints of smugness and pleasure touching the corners of her lips as the human apologized. The word 'stunning' hit her ears and she preened again with a regal raise of her chin, not even caring that the blonde had said 'you two' and thus meaning Zeke as well. In that vein as well, she didn't have as much care as she had just had when the man turned back to her man, but her interest was piqued when Leo mentioned 'models'.
"A photographer, huh?" The vet said as Leo turned back, watching the man and his Raevan interact with amusement. Part of him knew he shouldn't let his Frei's vanity be fueled so much, but another knew just as well that all the Raevans held an unequal beauty to them. It was impossible not to say as such.
Besides, she's not so bad about it. Anya definitely was not one of those horrible "tell me I'm pretty or I'll throw a fit" types found on TV or through angsty high school bias. She enjoyed soaking up compliments as much as anyone; it was just she was more forward about fishing for them than some. At any rate, those antics did tend to make him laugh, and it was a clear show that Anastacia wasn't as anti-social as she seemed.
As well as catching that Leo was a photographer, Zeke also caught the 'stunning' remark and the photographer's desire to have himself and his ward as models. The former made Zeke's smile screw up in an embarrassed and also confused sort of way. Certainly, he had been called handsome and even gorgeous before - but those words came from his beloved and, on occasion, family. He had never been so blatantly called 'stunning' before, let alone by a person he had just formally met! The shock of that made the vet raise his hand and rub the back of his neck.
"Stunning," he repeated, chuckling. "Well that's a new one." The vet shook his mohawked head and dropped his hand, fixing his smile as well to beam at the other male. "Anya's definitely model worthy, but me? Nah!" His chuckling became a short laugh and Zeke waved the hand he had raised as though to wave away the very idea, not thinking the younger man was serious. While in recent years he could see that he was good looking, the vet still saw himself as rather 'average' despite of all his colors, tattoos, and piercings. Given that, there was no way he saw himself as modeling material! Anya had that dangerous sort of beauty about her so she definitely fit that bill, and of course, she felt that way as well.
So someone thought she was beautiful enough to be model. This was new, but not unwelcome. Definitely not unwelcome, in fact, because it only fed her ego more. She soaked those words up like a sponge and the very idea ran through her head as she floated there. Zeke had taken photos of her before but those were times where she hadn't been prepared or expecting such things. The flashes from his camera had hurt her eyes the times he had taken photos at night and she had snapped at him for that, but that was different. That was Zeke taking photos of her and tittering about how he had gotten her good side or some other dumb thing. This was a professional and when it came to professionals that meant a lot of things - dignity, class, art, and definitely not some doofus with two-toned hair and a face full of shrapnel popping out from seemingly nowhere shouting "Smile!".
With Leo now occupied - and as far as Anastacia was concerned practically forgiven for taking off from her midst moments ago - the spider femme stared at her guardian with a hard look. She didn't speak, but her expression would say enough: Don't screw that up. Of all the things he had mucked up before, this was one he should be careful not to. She had never dreamed of such a prospect before but now that it was out in the air, she wanted to try it. For a woman of regality and beauty such as she was, modeling was only fitting.
The vet caught that look and half-guessed at what it meant. The one he gave her back was one of 'we'll see', even if he did just say his Raevan was modelling material. He then gestured at Leo, pantomiming that he had to get this man taken care of before anything else would be talked about. Anastacia looked between her man and the blonde who was now seated, rolling her shoulders before turning and sweeping herself back to the couch where her needlepoint was waiting. She still had no interest in any newborn - especially after the travesty that was Cruz's pick up - but at the moment even she could see the benefit in letting Zeke take care of Leo and his newborn first. She could put aside her want for now and had been filled up on compliments in record breaking time. Besides, she could spend that time daydreaming about how good models had it and how good she would when she became one while Zeke got things settled.
Zeke waited until Anastacia was seated again before turning around to face Leo. Seeing the man already seated and waiting put the vet's gung ho attitude about what was to come back on the burner, and he wasted no time in getting behind his desk - choosing to stand rather than sit so he wouldn't be spinning in his chair like he had while waiting for Anita. Once there, Zeke had the manilla folder in hand in a flash and had the legal forms before Leo just as fast.
"Anya will be two come April." His answer to Leo's question was automatic, but upon giving his reply, Zeke had to pause. His caramel brown eyes drifted to his ward, focusing on her hard for a few heartbeats. Seemed like only yesterday that she had just turned one, and even then, it felt as though the day before that she had been given to him to take home. They had a rough near-end to this year, but all the same, they had had another year together. She was growing up so fast...
”Taking care of a Raeven is almost like taking care of a human, right?”
"Hm? Oh! Yeah! It's similar but not, really." The vet chuckled again, knowing how confusing that sounded while watching Leo read and sign. "They sleep and talk and experience like you or me, but they have abilities and some require different things more so than others." In that regard he was talking about food, which Leo then touched upon for him. Giving the man a smile for that, Zeke continued, but dropped his voice a little as he always did when talking about Essences with Anya around.
"Their food comes from their Essence. It's a big part of them and that's what keeps them alive. So like...My sister's Raevan, Zul, he feeds best off of a certain kind of stone but also snacks on ice. His Essence encompasses both, but ice to a lesser degree."
Zul's Essence also had to do with lava, but that was beside the point right now. From what he had read before setting about fixing the still-drooping lights, Leo's Raevan had an Essence called Unoxidized Silver. Her soul was a tea plant, but given the rule about food, hers would have to do with metal. Silver could be pricy, but there was that whole 'unoxidized' part to consider. He knew what oxidization was, but how that would effect Leo's lady and her feeding, he couldn't do more than guess. He did have a good feeling she would be gorgeous though, and that little talk only made him all the more excited to meet her himself.
"If you're done signing I'll look everything over and then we'll go meet your lady, Leo." Any extra questions could be answered on the way, if the blonde man had them that is.
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Posted: Wed Jan 04, 2012 8:11 pm
It hadn’t taken long for Anya to be content with her compliments, but her reaction to being called model material was promising. Seeming willing, let alone excited, was promising in Leo’s book, but Zeke’s reaction was less than expected. It wasn’t every day that you would find someone with modifications, and it was an even rarer occurrence to find a model with such qualities. ”You really would make an interesting model, Zeke. Most models are plain-Jane. It’s nice to spice things up a bit every once in a while.”
Leo didn’t look up from his paperwork, reading carefully as his companion spoke. The way Raevens aged was interesting; Anya was only two but she looked like a full grown adult. He didn’t expect them to look like children at all, but there probably some that were. Either way, their aging process seemed to be on an entirely different plane from their own.
The man listened as Zeke continued about the Raevens and their food sources. He remembered a little about what he had been told at the beach nearly a year ago before remembering that he still owed Anita the photos from that day. He would have to finish them once he found the reel. ”I would imagine she would enjoy tarnishes more than anything, given the sound of her essence.” Leo’s voice trailed off, reading over another one of the lines again after having lost his concentration. His eyebrows furrowed as he reached the end, laying the stack of papers gently on the desk and scribbling his name as neatly as he could on the dotted lines.
Giving the set a one-over, Leo handed the stack back over to Zeke and smiled. ”I think that’ll do it,” his voice sounded distracted, almost bored, but even then he was filled with excitement. He’d first heard of the Raevens a while back, but he’d only ever personally known two people who owned one. Anita, who at the time of their first meeting didn’t have one, and then his uncle. Sadly, he hadn’t had the chance to meet either newfound Freis since their respective owners obtained them, but hopefully the new addition to his own family would be able to bring everyone closer.
Standing up, Leo took another glance at Anya, who had already set herself busy at work. Seemed as if she had no desire to go greet the newest member of the Lab family, which was slightly disappointing but Leo was in no way about to force her, especially since she wasn’t his own Raeven. Leo wondered if Zeke was going to say something to her, but it really wasn’t that big of an issue. If she didn’t want to join in, that was fine.
”Shall we?”
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Posted: Fri Jan 06, 2012 10:34 am
”You really would make an interesting model, Zeke. Most models are plain-Jane. It’s nice to spice things up a bit every once in a while.”
"You think so? I always figured magazines preferred people who weren't modded." Given Leo had said he was a photographer, the vet was assuming that he did work for magazines or general advertisements. Zeke knew fully well there were magazines and websites out there devoted to those who were modded in a variety of ways, but in his guessing he didn't hazard to think that Leo was a photographer for such a thing. The 'mainstream look' was more popular and probably paid better too. Still, with the blonde saying that, it did make the vet consider the idea a little more. Even if the photos taken didn't go toward anything like a magazine, by agreeing he would be helping Leo expand his portfolio and the vet was always one wanting to be of help. Plus Anya was clearly interested and with her in some shots, that would definitely give anyone who looked at Leo's photos a shock. The idea made him chuckle, but he didn't breach the subject just yet. First thing was first and that was the lady waiting just down the hall...even if the paperwork still in progress was the bump before they got there.
Looking down, Zeke watched and skimmed the forms he had read again and again upside down. It was all that legal stuff and tended to be a chore to read, but with how many pages Leo had flipped, it was clear the photographer was doing fine. When Leo mentioned tarnishes after Zeke spoke of feeding, the vet had to nod in agreement. That made sense - silver that couldn't tarnish or rust would feed off of rust and tarnish. That would be gratefully easy on Leo's wallet and the Frei would be hard pressed to go hungry at any point, given how so much metal in the world was already weathered.
"I think you might be right, but you'll find out soon enough at any rate." Anastacia had started feeding on heat the morning after she came home. Zeke had no idea about other newborns, but 'within a day or so' sounded about right. After the excitement of a homing, who wouldn't be hungry?
With Leo's remark about being done, Zeke took the forms from him and gave them his own once over. Everything legal was signed and that was what had to be done as far as papers went for now. The forms regarding the Frei's name would be handled with after Leo got to interact with her a little and as such were tucked out of sight in their folder. Tucking the legal forms under that folder, Zeke scooped both up and gestured toward the door, smile only growing.
"We shall!" Letting the man move before him, Zeke looked to Anya, who had since looked back over when Leo mentioned how good a model her guardian really would be. The vet beamed at her, but didn't ask if she wanted to attend. Ever since Cruz's birth, he had smartened up and thus only offered her a few words: "If you need me, I'll be just down the hall with Leo, okay?"
Anastacia nodded and turned back around, losing interest in both men for now while they vanished. Zeke gave his head an amused shake, but then turned around, patted Leo on the shoulder, and held the glass door open for him.
"After you." Once the blonde man was through the door, Zeke took up a spot next to him as they went to the right room. Their destination wasn't too far down the hall, and once they got there, Zeke slipped in front and took hold of the latch, eyes alight with what was about to unfold.
"Before I open this, I want you to know about a little tradition we have here at the Lab." Technically two, but Anastacia decided not to uphold the first. "When it comes to a guardian seeing their newborn, they get to see them first. I haven't seen her myself, so this'll be as much a surprise for me, but since you're her man you get to walk in there before I do. So what I'm going to do is knock to let her know we're here and open the door. Once I do, go right ahead."
His face was starting to hurt with how much he was grinning. He waited for Leo's thoughts on that, but soon enough had released the latch and given the door two raps upon its face. Once made, he paused to the inward count of three. On that last number, the latch was taken hold of again and with no other warning, the door was opened. As it fell away from its jamb with well-greased ease, Zeke stepped back from the door and extended his arm toward the room and Raevan waiting inside.
"She's all yours, my friend."
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Posted: Fri Jan 06, 2012 5:04 pm
With that, Leo’s nerves started up again. Zeke had motioned him forward, and down the hall they went. The blond came in alone and would be leaving as two, and the two would be residents together. The idea of taking care of another being marveled Leo; excitement and nervousness mixed together in his stomach like a blender.
It hadn’t taken long to reach the appropriate door, though Leo would have walked right past had Zeke not zipped ahead. His stop was rather abrupt, but with the photographer on edge he stopped just as quickly. He watched the raver’s expression change as he began to speak, his excitement written plain as day. This almost would have put a smile on Leo’s face if he hadn’t already had one. Funnily enough, it was rare for the man to show this much excitement, but at the very moment he didn’t care enough to bother straight-facing. He was about to obtain his own Raeven, something he thought would never happen.
”Alright, I’m ready.” He was to be the first to see her. Something about that seemed rather romantic, but he supposed it was rather suiting to the moment. Leo would be taking care of this… person, someone who he was probably going to be spending a long time with. He wondered what she would possibly look like; many images swirled around in his mind as he tried to imagine the ways unoxidized silver and a tea plant, of all things, could possibly mix.
Within seconds Zeke had opened the door and Leo was caught off-guard, still thinking about the different possibilities.
The room was quite plain, just as plain as the rest of the lab; stark white from ceiling to floor, decorated with a lone window in the very center of the far wall. The snow outside reflected the Sun and shone brightly from the window, almost illuminating the room itself. There, staring outward, was a lone female; her dark auburn hair tied back in a low bun. A crown of silver branches rested on her head, or stemmed from, rather, shining brightly in the light. Her clothing was rather odd, seeming like a mix of oriental and elven in design, nothing but green and silver from head to torso.
The Frei turned, her eyes fixating on the general area of the door. There was a strange shine to them, and a milky glaze covered her irises. She dipped her head in a small bow, a smile forming on her face. ”Greetings,” she said, lifting her head back up and cupping her arms together to her front. ”It is… a pleasure.”
Leo stared for a moment, once again despising himself for leaving his camera at home. She was beautiful, and in this lighting she was completely otherworldly. He was stunned, unable to find his voice for a brief moment before finally coughing to himself. Before walking into the room, he glanced back toward Zeke one last time.
”T-the pleasure is mine,” he said, stumbling on his words before finally regaining his composure. She was certainly pretty, but Leo felt no attraction towards her other than anything platonic. Hell, he almost felt like he was going to need to be protective toward her.
While he walked around her, the Raeven’s head did not turn, nor did her eyes follow. Once Leo was behind her, he tilted his head back toward Zeke. ”Are you unable to see?” he asked the Frei before walking back in front of her. This time, she turned her head.
”Not… well, but I can. It is… difficult.” She said, the smile remaining on her face. She extended her arm out, which Leo promptly took in his own. Once again, he looked back to Zeke.
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Posted: Sat Jan 07, 2012 9:54 am
Zeke hid himself well just beyond the frame as the door swung open and did not catch even the barest glimpse of the Tea Raevan that lay inside. That was good, and with that out of the way, he focused his attention solely on Leo. Although the man's face was in profile, the vet was damn near scrutinizing the other's features, watching for any signs of what he thought of the girl or woman who was inside the room. Given this - and the fact all the newborns he had interacted with had been rather infantile with their speech upon first meeting - he was noticeably surprised to hear a fully formed greeting waft out of the room from the Raevan's lips.
Her voice was lovely and although it carried, it was rather soft on the ears. Still looking thrown through a loop, when Leo cast a glance, Zeke gave him as encouraging a smile he could. With his eyes he simply said "go on" and "she's yours". It seemed to be enough because after he had, the photographer stepped in. Despite his excitement, the raver made himself count to twenty before going in afterward. This was a crucial time even if it was a wonderful one and while he would keep quiet while walking in, he was still a five-foot-nine neon sign of "HEY LOOK AT ME" in appearance. Still, once twenty was hit in his silent count, the vet finally stepped in...and was immediately floored.
"Oh wow!"
Floating just across the room was Leo's Raevan, and she was beautiful. The surprised look that crossed his pierced mug at hearing her voice with such proficient English faded in favor of an amazed and quite taken smile. Everything about her screamed "elf" to him and, being a fan of the Lord of the Rings movies as he was, he couldn't stop himself from thinking that one of the elves from those movies was with them in that room right now. Hell, she could have been Arwen herself!
Caught up in simply taking the truly lovely lady in, the vet had almost forgotten about Leo. When he stammered out a return, the vet pulled his eyes away from the Tea Frei and set them on the blonde man. The stumble of his reply made Zeke chuckle softly, believing already that Leo was completely enamored by his Raevan. With that and the fact the blonde was so gung-ho about getting to meet her, the vet was assured things were going to be just fine between them on Leo's end. On the Frei's end though? Well, he had to watch to see.
Stepping inward, Zeke turned to quickly shut the door, but left it ajar just in case Anastacia did end up needing anything. As soon as that was taken care of, he spun back around and moved to the desk nearby, setting the manilla folder and legal papers Leo already signed down on top of it. That was when Leo's question about eyesight was spoken, and with that question Zeke looked up with alarm, eyes darting between the once-more circling photographer and his new ward.
”Not… well, but I can. It is… difficult.”
Leo didn't have to even look at him, because with the Tea Frei's elegantly spoken words, he had taken the folder in hand and opened it. The papers inside included the spot for her name, but Zeke bypassed that step in order to get to the results of her physical. Everything read off fine, but unlike with other Freis - save for Anya - there was an additional note in a box beneath the results.
"'Subject has passed her physical with flying colors. However, eye examination has shown that cataracts are present. Degree of blindness caused by cataracts is unknown at this time; please consult Raevan at time of pick up if at all possible. If not possible, schedule an additional eye exam with the Guardian after the fact.'"
Zeke looked up, frowning just a little. This was quickly changed to a light smile when he caught Leo looking at him and the vet shut the folder again.
"Well...that explains it." Not an impossible scenario, but not the best one either. She said she could see, but not well. At least she wasn't fully blind. Looking at her again, it seemed as though she wasn't distressed by this predicament and that was a good thing. This elegant being before him was largely blind but wasn't upset by this fact. That was something to admire, but also something to question in lieu of what the notes said. Given she could speak so well, Zeke figured that they might as well get that suggested consultation out of the way; even if only to quell any concerns Leo looked like he had.
"How difficult is it for you to see, miss?" The notes had been read with the clarity and crispness one used when reading official matters, but when Zeke spoke to the Silver Frei, he used his normal, friendly tone. "Can you see your Guardian next to you? How about me?"
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Posted: Sat Jan 07, 2012 8:00 pm
The Frei nodded her head as Zeke imposed his question, but the second half was received with a hesitant shake. Her sight was far too limited to see him properly from that distance, though his outline was barely noticeable against the white backdrop of the room. ”If… this man is my… guardian, I can almost see him. With you… I am afraid not… You… are barely visible for me.”
This was a little concerning.
As she spoke, Leo had finally made his round and stopped before her, just to the side of her line of sight toward Zeke so that she could answer the question. The girl’s free arm reached out for the man’s other, her hand sliding across his watch. Surprised, she looked down and examined the strange, metal object. She was able to see it quite a bit more clearly than anything else in the room, but not by much. Once she had finished observing the watch, her arm continued up Leo’s, resting on his shoulders. She pulled herself closer to get a better look at his tanned face and blue eyes. Giving him a small kiss on each cheek, she gently pushed herself away and offered a smile.
This had certainly come as a shock to Leo, but his only response was a polite smile. She seemed more and more old fashioned with each moment.
”I have not been… given… your names.” She stated, her eyes traveling from Leo’s blurred outline to Zeke’s vague and general area. At this point, she still hadn’t been given a name, but somehow she knew that the two of them had one.
”Oh… my name is Leonard, though I go by Leo. Over there,” he said, gently nudging her in the raver’s direction, ”Is Zeke.” With another tug, her arm in his, Leo guided the Raeven over to the side of the room to meet the other inhabitant. She followed quietly along, her ribbon fluttering like paper. As the air moved, she gave off the lightest aroma of tea.
The two stopped in front of the desk, Leo releasing the Frei’s arm in order for proper introductions to be made. Once again, the girl reached for his shoulders and planted a kiss on each cheek. ”It is a pleasure to meet you both. Is your… name short for another?”
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Posted: Sun Jan 08, 2012 10:11 am
"Hmm..." She could almost see Leo where he was, but she could not see Zeke to the point where he was "barely visible". The vet opened the folder again and wrote that down in the notations section beneath what he had read off, making sure to put the date just before.
"How much of me can you see? You said I'm barely visible, but is everything dark where my voice is coming from or..." He trailed off as he looked up again, catching the Tea Frei's greeting to her new man. Although his smile had faded as he wrote, it came back anew at that display. He would have laughed if Leo were visibly surprised by it, but instead could only give a silly grin. The photographer had quite the little lady on his hands! Fitting, especially for how she looked.
”I have not been… given… your names.”
Despite not having mentioned names, she was already aware that the two men in the room with her had them. She was definitely an intelligent newborn, and at her statement, Zeke looked to Leo so the man could introduce himself first before Zeke would do the same. Much to his pleasant surprise, Leo did the introduction for him. When his name was given, the vet stepped out from behind the desk with the mind to go across the room and make his physical self apparent. He only got a couple steps away from the large table before Leo brought his new Raevan over to him, but what brought him to a true stand still was the polite pecks on the cheeks the Frei also gave him and the light, sweet scent of tea she carried. The kisses stunned him for a second - simply for the fact that he didn't expect them - and the wafting smell of fresh tea relaxed him. Tea and Silver? He'd have to commend the good Doctor for that combination.
"It's very nice to meet you too," Zeke said, raising his arms to hers in order to give her a kind, if not spaced hug. At her query the surprised look came back again, but with it was light laughter and the vet nodded, dropping his hands. "It is, but I think 'Zeke' is much better than my full first name. My full name is lame."
His tone was playful as he spoke and with the Frei so close now, he poked his tongue out at her. The stud there gleamed in the light but was quickly hidden again. He wasn't going to give away his first name so flippantly, especially when compared to one another 'Zeke' was much more preferable to 'Ezekiel' to him.
Now that the Frei knew their names, Zeke was certain she'd want to know her own. Looking from the dark-haired lady to her man, the vet gave Leo as studious and pointed a look as he could.
"She knows who we are, but she still needs a name of her own." He then looked from Leo to the Tea maiden. "What do you think, miss? Would you like a name for yourself?"
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Posted: Sun Jan 08, 2012 11:30 am
”Where you were standing, I saw nothing but… blurred and… undefinable shapes. The… center of my vision is worst.” The Raeven’s expression softened as the man explained the issue with his name, but her smile faded slightly. Lame? ”A person’s name holds magic. There is no name that could be labeled as ‘lame,’ Sir Zeke.” She held her arms before her, gently cupped where her stomach would be. The female nodded in agreement to the raver’s question about a name. Surely she would need one.
Leo had long gone silent by then, his mind already swarming with potential names that he couldn’t choose between. There were several he had already tossed, names he had come up with in a whim before even seeing her and others that hadn’t been suitable. He knew just by looking at her, she needed an eloquent name. Something beautiful and serene. Something… different. Anastacia had a lovely and rather foreign name, and it suited her quite well. She was the first Raeven that Leo had ever formally met without counting that day at the beach. He wanted his new companion to have a name just as suiting. She couldn’t just have any ol’ name.
”Ethiriel,” he said after a moment’s pause. ”Like the word ‘ethereal,’ but with a twist.”
Leo turned to the Frei, his expression blank. It looked as if she was also thinking over the name, herself, as her eyes closed in thought. She looked content with it, giving the two of them a small nod in approval. While it was her name, she felt that whatever her guardian was to give her was to be her proper name, though she was thankful that he had picked such a lovely one. ”If it is the name you wish, I will gladly take it.”
Once again turning to the raver, Leo nodded. He quickly spelled out the name, stopping after the third letter, then the fifth and then finished in a pace that could easily be kept up with. After finishing up the paperwork, he looked to his new companion, Ethiriel, and gave her a gentle squeeze of the hand. ”So what happens now, Zeke?” he asked, looking toward the door. Part of him was quite eager to introduce the two Raevens to each other, but it was best to wait for the worker’s suggestion rather than bust out and rush out into the world. Ethiriel hadn’t been exposed to anything as far as he was aware, and for all he knew there were other tasks needing to be done.
Ethiriel had already loosely hung her arm from Leo’s, ready for him to guide her out.
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Posted: Sun Jan 08, 2012 12:15 pm
The Tea Raevan's words about her sight were put down with what Zeke had previous wrote. Already he had it in mind to make an appointment with Leo for an additional eye exam, which would likely be handled by Alex or Dr. Kyou himself. Questioning her was well and good, but having the newborn seated down and given a full examination would be best. With that down in writing and a plan in mind, the vet was taken aback by the Silver femme's diction once again. The added 'Sir' before his name made Zeke chuckle and shake his head, but even so, he replied just as playfully.
"Trust me, 'Zeke' holds a lot more magic than my full name does." Perhaps he had been a little overzealous in saying his first name in full was lame, but regardless he still didn't like it as well as he probably should have. The name 'Zeke' just fit him better, in his opinion, and that was that. With that out of the way now, the raver was well aware that Leo had gone quiet and again he turned to look at him. The pointed expression had evaporated and instead Zeke watched the other man with polite intrigue. What would he choose? What names had he planned or did he have coming to mind that would fit the elegant woman who was now coming into his life? As before when Leo was jittery with excitement, Zeke felt a little bond with the man. He had been in his shoes before and as such, knew the near-stress that could come with picking the title that his ward would hold forever more. Not one to doubt another, Zeke knew he would pick one that fit the Frei to a 't'. When the name was spoken, it was just so.
"Ethiriel." Like 'ethereal', but with a twist as Leo had said. He didn't even have to look at the newborn again to know it was perfetto for her. "That's a beautiful name." With Ethiriel's agreement to the title, the vet stepped back from the pair to write it down on the proper form...but also to survey the pair together. Standing side by side, they looked like an odd couple, but in that they both seemed to fit so well together. He couldn't be happier for the pair.
With Leo's help, Ethiriel's name was down on paper, written in crisp black ink. The vet read off the spelling back to the photographer just to be safe, but was confident all the same he hadn't misspelled or made an error. With that settled, Zeke knew what came from here. His reply to the question didn't need any thought.
"Well, we're gonna head back to the lobby now. I'm going to give you a list of all the Guardian names, numbers, and addresses; and I think perhaps setting an appointment for another eye exam would be a good idea." Or they could at least toss the idea around a bit there. Maybe put it off a few days so the newly named Frei could get adjusted to her new home life first, but whatever Leo thought would be best in the end. "While we do that, Ethiriel can meet Anya."
He smiled at the Tea maiden, but upon saying his own ward's nickname, the vet had to falter. It was clear that Ethiriel was forward due to her handicap, and that wouldn't help win over the spider queen. Luckily, the Silver Raevan was quite intelligent and already adept at listening. Recovering from that moment of 'uh oh', Zeke turned to the newborn and spoke directly.
"Anya's my Raevan. She's waiting out in the lobby right now and I'm sure you'd like to meet her. However, she doesn't like to be touched." That was an understatement. Perhaps 'loathed' would be better. "So you can go ahead and greet her, but you'll have to keep a bit of distance, okay?"
As decent a mood she was in, there was no amount of food or pleasures in the world that could or would make Anastacia allow even the slightest touch to her skin. And the cheek kissing Ethiriel had done? Zeke didn't even want to imagine his Frei sending another Raevan ribbon over tea kettle again. For Ethiriel's own safety and perhaps a chance of Anya finding someone agreeable enough to want to meet them again, caution would not be going to the wind. The vet waited for that to sink in before clapping his hands and gesturing toward the door.
"No need to hang out in here anymore. Let's head up front, get these last bits taken care of, and send you two on your way!"
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