Rayvin

Chapter 7

Willow enters the room oblivious to the recent tension, her head snapping over to Artemis after smelling disinfectant. He eye signals towards Rayvin who was still sitting in his lap with her head down making the woman's brows furrow worriedly while rushing forward. "She's hurt? I thought she was perfectly fine earlier." When she came closer after placing the tray on the coffee table in front of Cain and Vivia she immediately noticed the additional bandages around the girl's palms. Guessing what happened from the guilty look in her mate's eyes she scowls at him and taking Rayvin's hand she knelt beside her with a gentle approach. "Does it hurt?"

 Rayvin glances at Willow before silently shaking her head no. Willow was relieved and took Rayvin by the hand away from Artemis who didn't protest since he was slightly guilty of Rayvin's hands. He didn't expect her to hurt herself with just a few words... Willow sat Rayvin down beside her on the sofa across from Cain and Vivia, taking a tiny tart cake from the tray she hands it to the child who took it after a moment of observation. The luna spoke softly as if to not startle her "I noticed you didn't like sweet things as much as your siblings. This isn't sweet but has a tart taste to it, see if you like it." Tart?

Not recognizing the word but seeing the expectation and encouragement on the woman's face Rayvin took a nibble and as she predicts Willow's smile became ten degrees warmer after she did so. Lowering her gaze onto the tart cake Rayvin was a bit surprised at how something so similar to the sickly sweet things her sisters and brothers ate could have such a different taste. It wasn't exactly her taste, but it was better than the other things given to her before. "This is tart?" She asks Willow while unhurriedly nibbling on the rest of it much to the luna's delight. "Mhm, if you like these I'll bring them to the house so you can have them more often."

 Artemis held in his sigh when his mate's face lit up happily while the girl who didn't seem to like nor dislike the pastry took delicate bites of the offering. Willow may be delighted that Rayvin was finishing the pastry, but Artemis could tell by her bland expression the girl was only being considerate of his mate's expectations due to the kindness she had shown Rayvin's siblings. If he was to compare her expression to the one earlier when they went out running, there would be no competition. But I suppose it's only normal that Willow and I see things differently since this isn't the first time we had opposing views on something or someone. Willow was treating all the children with the same amount of kindness, granted Rayvin received a little more attention. If it were another child the treatment would still be the same though which was the problem.

 It was good to be a generous and understanding adult to children. However, Rayvin isn't like the others. Artemis watches as Rayvin blinks slowly as if she were on autopilot whenever his mate said something or hands the girl something else to try. Her eyes weren't empty but they did have a dullness to them that told Artemis that Rayvin wasn't even attempting to close the distance between her and Willow no matter how kind his mate was to her. It was reaching to call it respect, it was more along the lines of tolerance really. And his sweet mate didn't realize this at all. "...."

 Artemis wasn't the only one who notices the oddity of Rayvin's behavior though, Vivia could accurately guess that the child's state of mind was much more different than her own naughty children back home. The way she acts and talks gave it away, especially since she was able to sit next to the radiating Willow and not open up or attempt to gain the gentle luna's favor. Her blue eyes flicker and as if noticing the change in the way she was being looked at, Rayvin's eyes sharply find hers from across the coffee table. A corner of Vivia's mouth curls up into a mildly wicked smirk under the girl's wary gaze until Cain also looks over making her smirk turn into an innocent grin which she uses full force on her doting lover. The woman held her mate's arm in a clingy manner, "Cain I miss our kids even more now after seeing Rayvin~" The beta soothes his loveable mate quietly under his breath while Rayvin sent the pair a scrutinizing squint.