[CLOSED] A Matter of Weapons

[forgeabettertomorrow]

Who: Darn and Raven (forgeabettertomorrow  and fishyoldman )
When: IC: 7/27
Where: The Spoon Smithy, AKA Darin's temporary base of Smithy Operations.
What: Darin's had Raven's bow for awhile now and now that it's fixed he should probably bring it back
Rating/Warning: Dumb old man and Dumb young man

[As per the norm, Darin's holed up at work.  Usually, this can be attributed to his enthusiasm and creative spirit.  But lately, he's been in a more somber mood.]

[He's only been in the colony for about a month, and already a handful of people know about what he is.  Not that they've caused a panic, or people are looking to burn him at the stake, but that's more people than he cares for knowing something he's kept hidden his entire life.  Not only that...there was the matter of that weird fox he had following him around.  It was clearly linked to him but, just as soon as he had noticed it, it was gone.]

[Only to be replaced with one of those cybernetic animals.  A broken one.]

[The dilapidated CyBuddy sits in a heap on one of Darin's work benches.  He's tried taking it apart.  He's tried fixing it.  But nothing he does seems to matter.  He even messed with the idea of turning it into parts but...he can't seem to bring himself to do it.]

[With a sigh, his gaze moves to another area on his work bench, where Raven's bow sits.  It's been finished for some time now, but with all of this memory commotion, he had forgotten to bring it back.]

Ah dammit...I should probably bring you back to your owner, right...?

Comments

[forgeabettertomorrow]

W-Whoa...Raven, I'm not...

I'm not doing it to show off. I was born this way but I'm not...

I'm not proud of it...

I just didn't really...I don't really know how to...

[He struggles to find the words. 'I don't know how to explain to you that I'm dangerous.']

[The words catch in his throat and he wanders over to his workbench quietly, turning his back to Raven.]

Yeah...we can talk another time...no big deal.

[fishyoldman]

[Raven hesitates. Of course it's a big deal, but Raven doesn't really know how to deal with stuff like this without being able to hold it at arm's length. So maybe leaving it at that is for the best for now.

Still, he pauses and glances back. He doesn't want to just leave Darin feeling bad like this... How does he keep winding up in these situations with all these dumb kids, anyway?]

I'll spell out what I'm tryin' ta say. Whatever you are, I ain't here to sit around and watch ya torture yourself over it. And whatever you wanna tell me, there are better ways to say it.

Think about that, and then we'll talk.

[forgeabettertomorrow]

[Darin doesn't turn to face Raven. He props himself up with his palms on the corners of his bench, his shoulders hunched. He visibly winces at 'whatever you are' but says nothing in regards to that.]

[He couldn't argue with him. He was right. There were better ways. Like maybe telling him the truth. Not that he'd care to hear it right this second.]

[Darin merely nods.]

Yeah...m'sorry. I'll ah...

I'll see you around, Old man.

[fishyoldman]

[The wince doesn't go unnoticed. Maybe Raven could have phrased that a little more delicately, but at least the message seems to have gotten across. He's not much for coddling others' feelings, for better or for worse.]

See ya, kid. And thanks again for the hard work.

[He pats his bow to indicate what he's referring to, then heads out.]

[forgeabettertomorrow]

[Darin waits a few moments to be certain Raven is gone. He grabs a stool and slumps down into it, burying his face in his hands.]

[Dammit, why the hell was he so stupid?! Why the hell had he done that?! Why couldn't he just...tell Raven?!]

[Raven was kind enough to check on him. Raven...seemed to actually give a damn about him, even though he really had no reason to.]

['Even though he really had no reason to...?']

[Darin had a sudden guilty pang in his heart. Acteon was the same. Acteon had no reason to take him in when he'd lost everything but...he did. Acteon was a good person. Acteon was proud of him.]

[Homesickness set in and wrapped itself around Darin's heart with the weight of a lead blanket. He just realized that if his world was gone, he'd never see Kenmore again. He'd never see Acteon again. All this time...he'd been so preoccupied with how his world was doomed from the get-go, but he'd never actually processed what that meant. His home was gone. Acteon was gone. Everything he knew, everything he loved...gone. And he was all that remained.]

[He lowered his frame until his face buried itself in his crossed arms on his work bench.]

[Now he knew why it hurt so much. Raven reminded him of Acteon. And in one moment of fear, a moment of being unable to trust the kindness in another's heart, faith that maybe he'd be accepted for what he was...he isolated himself again.]

[He tilted his head to look at his broken and dilapidated CyBuddy.]

Guess you and I are pretty much the same, huh...

[With that...he reached over and pulled the broken contraption closer with one hand, then reached for his tools with the other. He pulled his hair back and tied it off...]

Well, maybe if I put some more time into you...

...I'll be able to fix it.