That Was Cruel, Raine

She hadn't spoken a word to them sense the Day of Unity. Not a word. Why? I mean why would she? There was no need after all...

Every time they tried talking to her wile planning out their next move, she would ignore them and speak to Duaries or Eber, or even one of the BATS.
'Mama Eda' they had taken to calling her.

Titan all they wanted was to talk... reconnect... forget, what they said...

"Eda!" They called to her. They were the last two left in the planning hall of their sky-ship.

They extended their arm out in front of them, reaching for her, trying to compel her into staying with the simple motion.

She did stop. But she didn't face them.

"What, Raine." She muttered, bitterness lacing her words.

No pet-name.....

"Eda, please. Can we talk..?" They asked her turned back.

     There was a pause, and they took a step closer to her.

     "Eda, please..." they pleaded, their eyes were already tearing up.

     She turned towards them, finally. They stumbled back slightly, the look on her face... scared them. She had never looked at them that way before. Complete, unmistakable, hatred. Her eyes were slightly squinted, her jaw was clenched, she shook with pent up rage. It was much like how she looked at Lilith... after finding out she was the one who cursed her.

     "Eda, I'm so sorry..." they began, their voice shaking slightly, "All those things I said... I didn't mean them..." they lied, they had meant at least some of the things they said, "and-and I should have told you-I should have told you sooner." They shook now as well, not out of rage, but regret.

     They wanted to move towards her, but the look on her face terrified them into stillness. Was she going to kill them? Or, this one may even be worse: did she want to kill them...?

     Her face only twisted further, as more rage engulfed her.

     "Sorry..?" She began, "sorry?!" She shouted.

     "Raine, if you thought for even a minute that a simple 'sorry' was going to help anything," she laughed, but not the way they had craved to hear for so, so long... no, this was a dark, angry laugh that made their skin crawl, "then you, my... friend, have another thing coming..." she glared at them, her fist clenched.

     They stepped back once again. Oh Titan what did they do... they new she deserved more than an apology. They new that. But they had no clue how angry getting one would make her. They had hoped it would at least be a starting point...

     "I know, I know... you deserve more than an apology from me..." they answered, voice still shaking, they put both their hands out in front of themselves to both put a bit of a block between them, and try calming her. Titan, they hated feeling like they had to protect themselves. Especially from Eda... they never once had to do that before... she was always so good to them. Wile they were simply friends, when they were dating, and even after... threw the hole thirty years they new her, they were never, ever, afraid of her.

     Until today.

    "You meant it all. Raine. It was all true." She said threw gritted teeth.

    Where-where had she gotten that from..? Oh Titan... oh Titan. Oh no, no, no, no, no, no, no. This is bad. Very, very bad. She new. She new and that's why she's so mad at me. Oh Titan why did I say all that!

     They scolded themselves, staring at their lovely Eda's anger contorted face. Their eyes were wide and glossy for the moment, which was the only confirmation she needed to be sure they were telling the truth that day.

     "Eda, Eda no I..." they stammered, taking a few steps forward. They prayed to the Titan they weren't going to make it worse.

     "What? And your lying threw your teeth know too?" She remarked.

     "And why even try backtracking know anyway..? You told the truth. You hate my lying, you hate my secrets, you hated my curse, and at this point it's clear... that you hate me too."

     Their jaw dropped. She thinks they hate her?

"What..?" They gasped, "no, no, Eda... that's not right... I could-I could never hate you..!"

They both stood there for what felt like ages. The silence was awful and uncomfortable. Eda never stopped looking furious. And their vision was blurred with tears they held in.

     Her anger scared them. But her thinking they could ever, ever hate her... tore at their gut. Their heart felt mangled. They clutched the fabric of their pants, and gritted their teeth. They were not going to cry. This wasn't her fault after all. They started it when they chose to lie to her that day in the alleyway.

     "I could never... hate you..." they repeated, their voice sounded broken. It shook and the pitch was off.

     "Then why would you say that... all of it. You just..-!" She cut herself off.

     "You pushed me away. Raine. And-and I need to know..." she stammered with a voice thick with emotion.

     "Was it some kind of... retaliation." She growled.

     "What..?! No!" They shouted, once again surprised she could think so lowly of them.

     "They why! Raine. Why in the name of the Titan would you say that!" She was shouting again. Her voice, though powerful, shook and they heard nothing but pain, "I get it. You were trying to 'protect me.' and I get it. Trust me. I do. I do get it. But why, Riane. Why like that. If not for some sort of retaliation..."

She only sounded hurt know. Tears welled up in her golden eyes.

"Eda... I-" they couldn't say it. It would only upset her more. She would think they were lying to her...

They took a few cautious steps closer, and reached out to her again. Not to stop her, but in hopes to comfort her.

She looked at them with disbelief. "Eda..." they repeated, "I could never hate you. And I'm sorry. I know that's not enough, but I am..."

In the end their tears had won, streaking down their face, dampening their clothing.

She didn't back away when they carefully wrapped their arms around her. She didn't pull away when they leaned in, resting their head on her shoulder. Instead she slowly wrapped her own arms around their waist, laying her head on their shoulder as well.

"And... your right... those things I said... they were true..." they began, feeling her tense up, "once..."

They slowly stroked her hair, combing it with their fingers. It was just as soft as they remembered. She was just as lovely as always... no matter what...

They had, had feelings of resentment towards her... once...

After their brake-up. They despised her stubbornness, and that curse... if they could get rid of it for good they would... but her? No, never. They could never hate her... Their Calamity.

"I could never hate you..."

"Riane...?" Her voice sounded weak, "thank you... I needed-I needed to hear that..."

And the two of them stood there in each others arms. Only the Titan knows how long. They tricked her hair and she tapped patterns onto their back. It was, finally, pleasant... no more fear, only comfortable silence.

How they missed this...