[PRP - PICK UP] Seasonably Appropriate (COMPLETE)

[Ravina Loki]

Who: Dair, Nell, and Zeke
When: September 10th, 2016; 10pm
Where: Lab 305
Weather: Appropriately Autumn; cool, breezy, and with the taste of coming rain in the air

This one had some kind of timing, it had to be said. The call from the Lab had come while Zeke and his family were out of town on one of probably the last day trips they would be able to squeeze in before the cold weather came and caused Anastacia to have to retreat inside for the winter. The event was in mid swing - they had JUST arrived at their destination after a lengthy few hour drive - and so he asked to call Nell before anyone else could to relay the information and apologize for a delay.

And so he had done just that. Zeke gave her the hearty congratulations and the excitement in his voice was quite clear even as he had to apologize and explain the situation.

"I'm out of town at the moment, but as soon as I get back we can do this thing! I'll call you as soon as I hit the Gambino line, if that's okay with you?"

And so he had, although the hour was late even dropping Anya and Brad off at home. By the time he pulled into the Lab's parking lot it was just shy of 10pm. The lights in the building (save for the ones upstairs which served as Kyou and co's living quarters) were on at least and he had the phone to his ear just as he was unlocking the lobby's front doors.

"Hey Nell! I'm at the Lab now; c'mon over and meet your kid!"

He was all smiles stepping into the room and bee-lining it for his desk. As always the file was laid out on top and marked with a room number-marked Post-It.

Room 2 it is then!  

[Subobo]

Zeke's first call was met with a burst of excited charter from Nell, only to have it be forcibly reined in whenshe was told the would be a bit more of a wait. Okay. Okay. She can do that, a bit more waiting wouldn't kill her. Okay. That would give her some time to make sure the room she had set up was tiny and in order, make sure the rest of the apartment was tidied as well, and then...

And then she waited.

She would be the first to admit that she's not the best at waiting, there was a lot of pacing, a lot of leg wiggling, and a lot of checking her phone, but finally the call came.

If there was a world record for frantically scrambling out to the car she likely would have broken it, but eventually she got everything straightened out and drove as fast as was responsible to the Lab as the sky began to fill with dark, ominous looking thunder clouds.

Lightning flashed, briefly illuminating the Lab in harsh light, the distant rumble of thunder not too far behind it. A stillness had fallen over the Lab, as if it were settling in for the night, but there was one sound that seemed out of pace. A quiet whisper drifted down the hall that led to the exam rooms, quiet enough that words couldn't quite be picked out, but loud enough to draw attention.  

[Ravina Loki]

Zeke flipped briefly through the file to make sure everything was in order. The paperwork previously handed out and returned was there, as was a new set of sheets that would need to be signed by both himself and Nell before the Frei could be released to the latter party. Dr. Kyou had taken the liberty of filling out the already known bits - Essence, Soul, Guardian name, and gender. Zeke's smile brightened when he saw the word 'male' written on that particular line. Excitable and exciting Nell was Guardian to a boy Frei. He started to wonder if he should let her know as soon as she came through the door or if he should keep it as an extra surprise for her to discover. It had been awhile since he had done the latter...

Overhead the lights briefly flickered as he pondered and the once-distant rumble of thunder was now that much closer. Zeke looked up and clucked his tongue, hoping that Nell would arrive before the power chanced to go out. A thunderstorm and perhaps especially the power going out could frighten the newborn and he definitely did not want that.

He checked the time on the computer. 9:59 ticked over to 10:00 as he did so. Another flash of lightning lit up the already bright lobby and another rumble of thunder quickly followed. Beyond the glass he could see rain start to fall in the cone of light cast by the streetlamp across the way.

How appropriate for this guy, the vet thought with a chuckle, remembering all Nell had said about her overactive Essence and its spooky doings. Maybe he'll have a flair for the dramatic all things considered...

He was about to sit down to wait (granted it was an action that wouldn't have lasted long, given how he could get with the promise of seeing a brand new Frei) when he heard it. Another flash, another rumble, and then silence and yet...

Zeke turned his head, cocking it just so like a dog did at times before it went off to explore whatever it was it heard. It sounded almost like someone had spoken and yet not. The vet moved from his chair and desk, straining hard against the rain that now pelted the lobby's many and large windows, going so far as to cup a hand to his ear. He frowned just a little as he did so, shaking his head before chuckling at how silly he was being right now. Flair for the dramatic alright.

He started to walk back to his seat when he heard the sound again. Zeke spun around and squinted at the door at the back of the lobby, striding toward it and opening it wide to peer into the hall. Said hall was still lit as well as it ever was and was, to his eyes at this point in time, as empty as usual.

Still...he couldn't shake the curiosity that gripped him and while all the doors LOOKED closed from here, perhaps a certain special one was ajar for certain reasons. Perhaps a certain special someone had gotten out and was about.

He wouldn't be a very good caretaker if he didn't go down there and find out, now would he? Besides, it would only take a second. If Nell came in, he figured she would figure he went to use the bathroom. No big deal.

He entered the hallway. Down and back, he'd done it a hundred plus times before. Hell, he even snorted as he started down as thunder rumbled and the lights did the flickering thing again.

Very spooky indeed.  

[Subobo]

Perhaps it was his imagination, but as Zane got a bit closer to room 2 the shadows in the hallway seemed to move. It was likely the bright flashes of lightning that was causing it, but there was still some residual movement in his peripheral vision after the lightning had died.

Probably just the lightning.

Nell was doing her best, but her pace had been slowed to a crawl when the rain started and everyone (mostly the person right in front of her) had started to drive very carefully. And slowly. A good bit of teeth grinding later and she finally was able to pull around them, and only moments later the lights of the Lab were in sight.

The door was closed.

Which was probably a relief to Zeke. Nice and closed and shut and certainly there wasn't anyone in the hallway that he could see. Lightning flashed once more and illuminated the very empty hallway.

The thunder seemed to echo on just a few seconds longer than it should have.

Nell pulled info the parking lot, fingers curled around the steering wheel as she took a deep breath. It was time, finally. They were here and they were coming home and everything was going to be alright. Okay. One more breath and she steeled herself to step out into the rain, sprinting to get to the front door as quickly as possible.

"Hello?"  

[Ravina Loki]

"Hello?" The word was spoken loud enough to carry and was spoken in a very much not scared tone of voice. In fact, the vet sounded amused by the whole thing, striding down the hall at a leisurely pace and eyeballing doors and their knobs on his way. There was no reply - he didn't figure there would be one anyway - but all the same he was going to make his way to the very end before turning around and heading back to base.

He passed the room the Frei had been put in and the door was shut, wood to wood. He hummed a little note as he paused for but a moment, almost considering putting his ear to the thing to listen for the Raevan beyond. As soon as the thought came upon him, however, he shrugged it off. No need to do that. Clearly Mr. Spooky was still inside. Besides, they would meet soon enough and Zeke would be able to listen to him as long as he and Nell opted to stay in the Lab.

Patience is a virtue, and it didn't hurt to remind himself of that. A particularly bright flash of lightning and the immediate crack of thunder overhead served to make him jump out of surprise. In that moment he caught sight of the shadow, but upon pivoting around, there was nothing there. He chuckled. "Yeah okay, now I really AM seeing things."

The vet shook his head and chalked the residual movement he could see to a car passing by the Lab or maybe one of the plants in the lobby shaking with the force of the thunder. It wouldn't surprise him - he was kind of shaking from it too!

Alright, end of the line. And nothing out of place. He chuckled again and shook his head, turning around to make the trip back. Another flash of lightning and a subsequent rumble of thunder. The vet lofted a brow when the latter noise seemed to linger, giving a low whistle in response. He didn't hear the front door chime or Nell's greeting from the room at the now opposite end of the hall. Okay then...  

[Subobo]

As if to reinforce the idea that, yes, this surely was all in Zeke's head, things seemed to be generally alright as he turned around and made his way back through the hallway. Nothing out of the ordinary here, just the sound of the wind and the rain and the thunder. And that held true until Zeke was nearly at the entry to the hallway, when there was a whisper in his ear. As before, there weren't any distinct words, but it definitely sounded like it had come from right behind him.

Out in the lobby, Nell had paused, dripping slightly on the mat in front of the door. My. She hadn't actually been to this part of the Lab before, and it was definitely...kind of creepy. Granted, that might have been because it was late at night and it was pouring out, which makes everything kind of creepy, but still. After standing there for a bit she took a few timid steps forward, her eagerness to meet her new Raevan warring with her nerves.

"Zeke? There was a desk. Desks seem like good places to go to in a lobby, creepy storm or no.  

[Ravina Loki]

His return trip was almost uneventful. He probably could have gotten away with no other creeps or crawls or much else of note if not for the whisper suddenly in his ear as he reached the door. It was breathy and dammit all if it wasn't warm as if someone was right against his back and speaking right into that particular hole in his head. The lack of words to said whisper wasn't really registered over the fact that there was SOMETHING or SOMEONE speaking to him.

Zeke jerked away as if someone was bodily behind him, spinning around to look down the well-lit hallway. As he did his pirouette his feet became entangled and he stumbled back, hitting the lobby door with a clatter that only served to make him jump.

"WAH!" He cried out, the door pushing into the lobby with the force of him smacking into it while the vet himself went more vertical than diagonal. When his feet touched the floor again he bounced on them with one hand curled over his heart and the other reaching out for the wall to brace himself from falling. "Jesus Chri--"

"Zeke?"

The door had started to swing back but Zeke made for a very good door stopper thanks to being halfway through the frame. His heart still in his throat from his scare, he slowly turned his head to look at the sound of THAT voice...only to find Nell standing at his desk and probably thinking him a madman.

"Nell!" He registered her presence and lit right up, darting from the door to her in order to wrap her up in a big bear hug. If she could feel his heart through his shirt it was pounding. "You're here! Just in time!" Letting her go, he looked her up and down as it had been ages since they had last gotten together. "You look well! It's been forever; how have you been? Are you as excited as I am? I bet you are!"

The fact that he had just had a strange voice in his ear was far from pushed out of mind. It lingered intrusively and despite his pomp and excitement for the woman right now, he would not be shaking the shock from his nerves nor the goose pimples from his flesh any time soon.

Oh jeez.  

[Subobo]

That made her jump, if nothing else did. The sudden (relatively loud) entrance of Zeke's yanked a small shriek of surprise from her. But her surprise didn't last too long, and it only took her a second to return the hug, giving him a rather crushing one in return as well as picking him up and spinning him around.

"Oh my god, yes!!!" With another final squeeze she finally let him go/put him down, her hands smooshing her cheeks in an attempt to stop grinning so broadly. "I'm good, I've been fine, but Zeke. Zeke" She began bouncing on the balls of her feet, her gaze scanning around the room as if looking for something and failing. So instead of adding on to what she was going to say, she simply exhaled hard, looking back at Zeke with wide eyes.  

[Ravina Loki]

Her return hug ripped a laugh from him as he was picked up and bodily spun around. When she set him down again his smile was ear to ear and had the room been dark it would have considerably lightened it.

"Zeeeeke~ That's me!" He waggled his brows at her and joined in with her bouncing, gripping Nell's arms so that they were in sync. Her few words spoke volumes and he gestured to the door he had so gracefully just walked through. "Normally I'd throw a few more formalities out but I think we can skip the song and dance for right now!"

Parting from her, he grabbed the file that had been set out previously and waved it at her, tossing in a wink for good measure.

"Paperwork and all that can wait, I say! So if you're ready, madam, I most certainly am!" He swept past her with ease and held the door open for her, but not before giving the hallway a bit of a scrutinizing look. Nothing there, as per usual. The vet clucked his tongue. No matter. He had a buddy with him now so that meant he was un-touch-a-ble.

"So your boy..." And he held the note on the Frei's gender just a few seconds longer than the rest, beaming at her with the reveal. "Is just down the hall here on the right. Before we get there, let me tell you about a little tradition we have here. Between you and me, you get to see him first, alright? You're his Guardian and you're gonna be spending your lives together so it's only right you two get to meet first. When we get to the door I'll knock to let him know we're here and as soon as I open it, you're free to go on in. Sound good?"  

[Subobo]

"Honestly Zeke, you are wonderful but I might cause you bodily harm if you tried to drag this out any longer." The large smile on her face softened the threat to more of a joke, but there was a glint in her eye that suggested she was actually serious about it.

A boy, ooh! Her smile, if it were actually possible, managed to grow even larger and she seemed like she was about to vibrate out of her skin with excitement. "Sounds good," she repeated, looking down the hallway for an equally different reason.

The hallway seemed to be done with spooks for now. Don't let your guard down just yet though, Zeke.  

[Ravina Loki]

He held up his hands to her with his palms out and shook his head.

"Don't worry I'm hardly the type of guy to do that to you!" He laughed and led the march down the hall. "Besides, I'd rather not die today thank you very much." Nell looked like she could pack a wallop and "bodily harm" from her? He would never want to risk that!

The walk wasn't a very long one and as soon as they reached the door Zeke bounded away to present it to her. He gestured like a lovely game show assistant would and gave a soft 'ta da!' to showcase the rather unremarkable door marked with a '2' on its face.

"Alright here we are! Last chance to steel yourself, panic and-or freak out, or run to the bathroom to puke your guts out from nerves!" He was bouncing on his heels as he spoke, giving his guest a goofy look. "Basically...Speak now or forever hold your peace because on the count of three I open the door."

He waited - both for effect and any legitimate claim she might have - but with no veto given he began his count.

"Here we go Nell. One...Two...Three..."

He rapped his knuckles on the door. Without missing a beat he then brought his hand down on the knob and let the door swing inward, stepping back and offering his hand out toward the space now opening between them and the inside of the room.

"He's all yours, kiddo."  

[Subobo]

Nell nodded along with his words, an anxious 'mmmm' a quiet background noise that blended in with the distant sound of the rain. And despite his joking warnings, she felt a spike of worry as he reached out to the doorknob. Was she ready? Could she do this? A bit too late to question it now, since the door swung open.

He had woken up. The room had been empty, the sound of receding footsteps the only thing he could hear. A quick scan of the room showed that there was little in it, aside from himself, and nothing that indicated that he should do anything. So he waited.
And waited
For a time there was nothing but the ambient noise of the Lab, air conditioning, the hum of lights, but soon there were more footsteps coming towards the room, rather than away from it. He felt a sudden flare of nervousness as he spun to face the door, eyes wide and hands curling into fists, but soon they were walking away. Again.
This time, though, there was a loud crash, followed by a couple different voices. And then the footsteps came back. The voices came with them, and the doorknob turned, and the door opened.

"Oh," Nell said breathlessly, her hands clasped in front of her face as she stood in the open doorway. And there he was. "Hello," She took a few shaky steps forward before her vision started to blur, and she had to stop lest she accidentally walk into something or trip. Wouldn't that be the greatest first impression? But nothing a quick sniffle and a swipe of her hand across her eyes couldn't fix.

"Hi," she tried again, making her voice not be as wobbly as it wanted it to be. "I'm Nell, I'm gonna be taking care of you, okay?" The first good, non-blurry look she got at him would have made her stop in her tracks if she had still been moving. Wide, empty, empty eyes stared at her, a tangle of branches framing a faintly elven face and narrow shoulders that were patterned by thin, forking marks resembling lightning bolts.

The quiet sound of creaking wood filled the silence after she spoke as the Raevan's hands relaxed slightly, the fingers covered in what looked like bark (bark!) moving a bit more stiffly than normal fingers would.

"Hello," his voice was quiet, a tad lower than a normal speaking voice, and rough, as if he had inhaled a lungful of hot smoke. But Nell's face split into a huge grin, tears once more welling up in the corner of her eyes.  

[Ravina Loki]

Nell walked in and Zeke kept back, humming a pleased note under his breath while he waited for whatever was to come. He relaxed when after the first few moments there were no shouts or cries or the thud of either of them hitting the floor, letting the next few moments pass without throwing himself in there.

He heard Nell greet the Raevan and he strained hard against the storm to hear if there was a reply. After a moment he thought he heard one, but the voice was just too quiet to carry that far over.

Alright, he thought to himself as he moved away from the wall, let's see how things are going!

Zeke strode into the room but cautiously, lest he startle the newborn with his presence or interrupt a touching moment between the two. His eyes fell onto Nell first. Her back was to him but even not seeing her face he could all but feel the emotion radiating off her. He smiled at that and the smile continued to grow as he let his eyes move from her to the Frei...at least until he saw the boy's eyes. The smile vanished, replaced with a look of surprise complete with lofted brows when he saw the two empty pits where most other Raevans had some manner of eyeballs.

"Whoa..." The word was spoken on an awed whisper and it made him aware he was gawking. The vet shook his head to clear his thought and look, bringing the smile back in full force as he took in the rest of the Oak Frei. Despite the initial shock the lad was a handsome one to be sure, his colors earthy and cool and pleasant to behold. Zeke noted all of the branches the Raevan had on his person as well as the leaf-like motif on his chest where his shirt covered the branching marks beneath. He was most definitely his Soul alright!

"Hello!" Before he spoke he cleared his throat so as not to startle either party near him then waved as he offered the greeting. His eyes went to Nell again, smiling as he held out his arms to embrace her if she wanted to take him up on the offer. "Congratulations Nell! And congratulations, kiddo! Welcome to the world!"  

[Subobo]

The sound of someone else coming into the room drew the Raevan's attention from Nell, his head turning slightly so he was staring directly at Zeke as he walked in. His eyes widened slightly, his shoulders tensing in surprise at the sudden arrival of the second person. And, for the briefest second, the shadows in the room seemed to writhe towards the people in the room. A sharp inhale from Nell dew his attention back to her, though, and he regarded her for another few moments before looking back to Zeke, and then slightly just to the side of Zeke, as if there were someone standing next to him.

[colordarkolivegreen]"You will be the one caring for me?" he asked, turning back once again to Nell, head tilting to the side slightly.

"Yes," she reached out blindly, not taking her eyes off of the Raevan, and gave Zeke's arm a squeeze when she grabbed one, but took another step closer to her charge rather than giving him another hug quite yet.

"And you are Nell...?"

"That's right," He bowed his head gravely towards her before he looked back to Zeke, eyebrows raising slightly. And who might you be, his expression seemed to say.  

[Ravina Loki]

Zeke cupped a hand over the one that gripped his arm and squeezed, not at all bothered that Nell didn't embrace him this time. At the wiggling of the shadows the vet blinked as if clearing something from his eyes, looking at the spaces where the shadows lingered as if he had seen something but wasn't quite sure.

"Oh! Aha, I should probably introduce myself!" He looked back at the pair at the feeling of being watched, beaming at the Raevan as he put his hand on his chest. "I'm Zeke! I'm the one helping you and Nell get acquainted and on your way today. It's nice to finally meet you; we've both been waiting for you for quite a long time!"

And looking at him and then Nell's expression, he was most definitely worth the wait.

"What do you think?" He leaned in closer to Nell to ask her that, his voice low but no less warm. "Not so scary, is he?"

He chuckled, recalling her initial reservations about his Essence after it had displayed rather active qualities. The Frei had a haunting sort of aura to him, Zeke could not deny, but to him it felt more like 'old photo of a lone tree on a foggy hillside' rather than 'poltergeist-infested manor'. All the same, he was quite the calm one seemingly in spite of his Essence and that was hardly a bad thing after all the scares Nell had said she had been through.